On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, we had the privilege of being received by Madame Éliane TEVAHITUA, Vice President, Minister of Culture, Environment, Land and Crafts, in charge of Relations with Institutions, accompanied by Mr. Alexandre VERHOEST, Direction de l’Environnement Polynésie Française.
The meeting gave the Te mana o te moana team an opportunity to discuss the projects carried out over the past 20 years to protect Polynesia’s marine environment, in particular sea turtles, and to present the association’s work on green turtles, hawksbill turtles and coconut crabs.
Te mana o te moana’s good cooperative relationship with the Environment Department (DIREN) and its willingness to collaborate with the Department of Culture and Heritage – Te Papa Hiro’a ‘e Faufa’a Tumu (DCP) – to develop and promote the intrinsic links between culture and the environment were also highlighted.
In the afternoon, Vice President Éliane TEVAHITUA and Virginie KIOU joined Te mana o te moana teams and representatives of the French Polynesia Department of the Environment, Roseline TUIRA, in charge of marine biodiversity, and Francine TSIOU-FOUC, Deputy Director, for the release of a hawksbill turtle cared for at the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center and fitted with a satellite beacon to track its movements.
A solemn moment filled with emotion that underlines the importance of Te mana o te moana’s actions for the protection and better understanding of the sea turtles present in fenua.
Photos : Presidency of French Polynesia , Te mana o te moana
