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Coral Reef Initiative for the South Pacific

Development of reef resources

Background

This is among the Programme's key areas, if not the most important. Setting up sustainable industries based on the controlled use of reef resources is the best means of ensuring the Programme has a substantial and lasting effect. Three areas receive CRISP support, ie (i) sustainable alternative fishing technique promotion (particularly methods based on grow-out reef fish or crustacean postlarvae); (ii) optimising the potential sharing of profits derived from the discovery of active marine substances (AMSs) isolated in organisms taken from Pacific coral ecosystems; and iii) ecocertification development support for Pacific hotels contributing touristbased revenue to their countries.

Latest progress

Whilst development work centred on fish postlarvae at the beginning of the Programme, crustaceans were also investigated during 2007. A consultancy to Wallis and Futuna was conducted in late 2007 by Matthieu Juncker (a CRISP consultant) and Joseph Poupin (Naval College) to investigate crustacean biodiversity in these islands based on adults described in situ and postlarvae. Another study was undertaken on growout crustacean marketing, particularly regarding the "varo" squillid, a high-value crustacean, on Rangiroa, French Polynesia, and overseen by Tropical Fish Tahiti who produced a report (TFT 2007). In the meantime, a scientific consultancy was carried out on the French Polynesian atoll to examine the relationship between successful larva colonisation and the degree of coral habitat damage (Mills et al 2007), which was used as support material for a University of Brittany master degree student's industry placement. A Fijian student also produced a report on the description of the zooplankton from which the larvae originated (Pratap 2007), which provided useful information for a better understanding of phenomena occurring prior to capture. The Programme also examined the inherent economic and legal issues of industry development. Two study reports were produced, one in French Polynesia on an overall strategy for the territory to ensure that the latter plays a major role in the regional-level development process (Lipchitz 2007) and another in Fiji essentially examining the legal restrictions so as to come up with a proposal for adjusting the legislation, which currently prohibits postlarva exports (Manoa 2007a and 2007b). Finally a PCC progress report as produced by René Galzin's team at presented by him at the Townsville Forum in September 2007 (Galzin et al 2007). With regard to AMS marketing, the organisms collected in Fiji (Payri et al 2008) were sorted and the University of the South Pacific's phycology (seaweed) collection was expanded by several dozen previously unclassified specimens. After completing an in-country investigation, Professor Beurrier and his team produced a report on Vanuatu's legal framework and published it on line (Guilloux et al 2007c). He also wrote an in-depth article on marine biodiversity legal protection that, owing to its worldwide relevance, far surpassed CRISP's terms of reference (Beurrier 2008).

Brief Review

PCC development operations were driven by EPHE-CNRS in French Polynesia, Fiji and, to a lesser extent, Wallis and Futuna. In pure research terms, the CRISP Programme led to several publications on improving our knowledge of reef fish biology that could contribute to improved postlarva capturing techniques, particularly in terms of specific characteristics (cf section on the Programme’s scientific contributions). The Programme also facilitated the assignment of a French student to the University of the South Pacific, based in Fiji, who is preparing a thesis with the co-supervision of Perpignan University, France. His research deals with postlarva re-seeding techniques into ecosystems as a spin-off from breeding for aquarium purposes. Through this support, an aquafarm has been set up at the University and several resource people trained who will prove valuable in developing a potential PCC industry in this country. Following on from the research, emphasis was placed on research-development with various larva identification tools (Maamaatuaiahutapu et al 2006, Juncker 2007) and a postlarva breeding manual (Vermond 2007) being produced.

In terms of AMS marketing, the Programme facilitated the sifting of substances harvested in the Solomon Islands in 2005 and a fresh harvesting campaign in Fiji in 2007. IRD, through its UR152 research unit, was very actively involved in training Pacific students, as two students preparing a master’s and postdoctoral thesis respectively are taking part in the Programme. The University of Nantes, France, through the efforts of Professor Jean-Pierre Beurrier and two thesis students, also significantly contributed to reporting on the AMS marketing legal framework (Guilloux et al 2007a 2007b) with the team conducting legal prospecting missions to Fiji (2005), Solomon Islands (2006) and Vanuatu (2007).

The University of the South Pacific supported ecotourism development and commissioned a Fijian consultant who produced several reports in 2006 and 2007 on defining hotel ecocertification specifications, which were trialled in Fiji starting mid-2007, before being proposed to other Pacific countries.

Bibliography (selection)

  • Beurier J.P. (2008). "La protection légale de la biodiversité marine". Rapport CDMO. 7 pp.
  • Galzin, R. Lecaillon, G. and A. Lipschitz (2007). "Three experiences of Post-larval Capture and Culture (PCC) in the Indo-Pacific: technical, ecological and socio-economical observations."
  • Guilloux, B, Zabovska K. et J.P. Beurier (2007a). "Rapport préliminaire de la zone atelier n°1: La République des Fidji : Organisation juridique, administrative et sociale ; Analyse du Droit en vigueur".
  • Guilloux, B, Zabovska K. et J.P. Beurier (2007b). "Rapport préliminaire de la zone atelier n°2: Les Salomon : Organisation juridique, administrative et sociale ; Analyse du Droit en vigueur".
  • Guilloux, B, Zabovska K. et J.P. Beurier (2007b). "Rapport préliminaire de la zone atelier n°3: Le Vanuatu : Organisation juridique, administrative et sociale ; Analyse du Droit en vigueur".
  • Juncker, M. (2007). Young coral reef fishes of Wallis island and the central Pacific - Identification guide. SENV Ed. - CRISP programme. 170 pp.
  • Lipschitz, A. (2007). "Stratégie des filières poissons récifaux dans le Pacifique Sud à partir de la capture de larves en milieu naturel". Rapport d'étude AFD. 12 pp.
  • Manoa, P. (2007a). "An assessment of Fiji's legislative framework for the trade in aquarium fish".
  • Manoa, P. (2007b). "A Proposal For The Strengthening Of Fiji's Legislative Framework For The Trade In Aquarium Fish".
  • Mills, S., Dumas, P., Lecchini, D., and E. Parmentier (2007). "Recruitment potential and recruitment survival as a function of habitat degradation"
  • Moana Initiative (2007). "La PCC , un outil pour la conservation et la valorisation de la biodiversité". 76 pp.
  • Payri, C., Petek, S., Menou, J.L., Lasne, G. ad J. Butscher. (2008). "Biodiversité et substances marines des Iles Fidji (algues/éponges/ascidies/échnodermes)". Rapport de mission (7-27 mai 2007). 30 pp.
  • Poupin J. and Juncker M. (2008). Crustacés des îles Wallis & Futuna : inventaire illustré des espèces, espèces commercialisables et capture des formes larvaires. Technical report - CRISP programme. 40 pp.
  • Pratap, A. (2007). "Determination of the Distribution of Coral Reef Fish Larvae versus the Distribution of the Zooplankton in Laucala Bay".
  • Tropical Fish Tahiti (2007). "Etude de la colonisation larvaire de 6 espèces de crustacés et etudes péliminaires d'élevage du Varo". Technical report - CRISP programme. 30 pp.
  • Vermond S. (2007). "Development of multispecific approach for rearing in aquarium". Technical report - CRISP programme. 35 pp.

What are AMSs?

Active marine substances are active ingredients that can be isolated in various marine organisms and used for therapeutic purposes. Isolating AMSs is a slow, complex process involving (i) harvesting the organisms in situ (basically seaweed and sponges under the CRISP Programme); (ii) sorting and identifying them; (iii) extracting and sifting the substances; and (iv) conducting activity tests on the substances (eg for potentially anti-inflammatory or antimalarial properties, as in the case of CRISP) before considering their use on an industrial scale, which cannot be achieved until 12 to 15 years after the organisms have been harvested. For these reasons, in addition to providing support to reef organism harvesting and marketing, CRISP places importance on improving the legal framework in the countries that own this natural heritage to ensure the financial benefits are equitably shared, particularly where long lead-in times apply.

What is PCC?

PCC stands for Postlarval Capture and Culture or "grow-out". Postlarvae are a development stage in reef fish and crustaceans prior to settlement in the lagoon and adulthood. The vast majority of animals start their development cycle with an ocean phase lasting one to three months, after which the fish and crustaceans re-enter the lagoon in hundreds of millions. Approximately one in a million individuals only will reach adult stage, with most juveniles being eaten by predators. Using innovative techniques, postlarvae can be captured and bred for sale to three potential markets, ie aquaculture for food purposes; reseeding into ecosystems to boost biodiversity and fish density for fishing purposes or simply for viewing by tourists; and the (lucrative) aquarium market. Despite their impressive numbers, the captured animals only account for a very small portion of the larval flow,hence the very slight impact on the ecosystem compared to techniques involving the capture of adults with large quantities of mature males. This makes PCC a potentially ecofriendly industry. Material promoting these industries was published using CRISP funding support (Moana Initiative 2007).


CRISP