In 2015, our organisation took over the coordination of Reef Check Polynesia, an international program that monitors coral reefs evolution through a trained volunteer network. After two years of relaunch of the program in French Polynesia, we are happy to present the report of the activities undertaken in 2015-2016. The report can be downloaded online on the website.
What is Reef Check method ?
The method Reef Check consists of monitoring coral reefs while snorkeling or diving on some specific studies sites, one to two times per year. A long scale line is set at the bottom of these sites (called a « transect »), and some key species encountered ,such as some species of fish and invertebrates, are counted along the line.
It is then possible to contribute actively to the management of protection plans by transmitting all data collected year after year to scientific institutes and decision makers. By following the evolution of coral reefs’ health, volunteers become sentinels of the ocean.
Looking back on the 2015-2016 activities, here are some key numbers :
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- 5 trainings have been organised on Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora, and 29 new volunteers have been certified this year. At the end of 2016, Reef Check Polynesia is counting 34 volunteers who participate regularly in the program.
- 11 monitored sites (called « stations ») have been created, including 10 on Moorea and 1 on Raiatea. Added to already monitored sites, there are now 30 stations on Moorea, 10 on Tahiti, 5 on Raiatea and 22 on Bora Bora by Reef Check Polynesia. On other islands, some sites have been created before 2015 and will need to be followed again.
- 23 site monitorings have been organised on Moorea, 2 on Tahiti, and 2 on Raiatea, as well as 63 in Bora Bora by Denis Schneider’s team as part of the Pavillon Bleu’s label.
Volunteers participating to the Reef Check’s program help scientists by giving alerts in cases of the observation of mass coral bleaching events.
Since the beginning of 2016, Reef Check Polynesia’s team has been mobilised to respond to a call by Reef Check France for the watch of mass coral bleaching events, as a prevention to global coral bleaching events as they had occured on many coral reef areas such as in the Marquesas and in the Society islands. The results from this studies are exposed in the report.
This year has also been a busy year in events for Reef Chack Polynesia, with participation to the Reef Check France meeting in February in Paris, animations to many day events, participation to the shooting of a documentary on coral reefs and Tara expedition, and Reef check animations for kids in schools of Austral islands with our animators.
For more information on Reef Check Polynesia : temanaotemoana@mail.pf
