Acidification of coral reefs

Abstract

T he Initiative for the Protection and Management of Coral Reefs in the Pacifi c (CRISP), sponsored by France and prepared by the French Development Agency (AFD) as part of an inter-ministerial project from 2002 onwards, aims to develop a vision for the future of these unique ecosystems and the communities that depend on them and to introduce strategies and projects to conserve their biodiversity, while developing the economic and environmental services that they provide both locally and globally. Also, it is designed as a factor for integration between developed countries (Australia, New Zealand, Japan and USA), French overseas territories and Pacifi c Island developing countries. The initiative follows a specifi c approach designed to: - associate network activities and fi eldwork projects; - bring together research, management and development endeavours; - combine the contributions of a range of scientifi c disciplines, including biology, ecology, economics, law and the social sciences; - address the various land and marine factors aff ecting coral reefs (including watershed rehabilitation and management); - avoid setting up any new body but supply fi nancial resources to already operational partners wishing to develop their activities in a spirit of regional cooperation. This is why the initiative was prepared on the basis of a call for proposals to all institutions and networks. The CRISP Programme comprises three major components, which are: Component 1A: Integrated Coastal Management and Watershed Management - 1A1: Marine biodiversity conservation planning - 1A2: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - 1A3: Institutional strengthening and networking - 1A4: Integrated coastal reef zone and watershed management Component 2: Development of Coral Ecosystems - 2A: Knowledge, benefi cial use and management of coral ecosytems - 2B: Reef rehabilitation - 2C: Development of active marine substances - 2D: Development of regional database (ReefBase Pacifi c) Component 3: Programme Coordination and Development - 3A: Capitalisation, value-adding and extension of CRISP Programme activities - 3B: Coordination, promotion and development of CRISP Programme