The French coral reefs are located in 12 overseas territories spread over the three oceans: the Indian Ocean (Réunion, Mayotte, and the five Scattered Islands dependent on the TAAF1); the Atlantic Ocean (Guadeloupe and its associated islands – Marie-Galante, Les Saintes, La Désirade, the islands of Petite-Terre; Martinique, Saint- Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, and French Guiana, which has deep reefs and vast mangroves) and the Pacific Ocean (New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, and Clipperton Island).
These territories represent 78% of France’s maritime territory. Their reefs and lagoons extend over nearly 60,000 km2, distributed uevenly across the territories, with New Caledonia and French Polynesia accounting for nearly 90% of the total surface area of French reefs and lagoons. They are associated with mangroves, which cover just under 1,000 km2, and seagrass beds. The ecosystem services they provide – coastal protection, tourism and recreation, fisheries and carbon sequestration – are estimated to be worth EUR 1.3 billion per year.
The large surface area covered by the reefs and associated lagoons, the geographical diversity in the three oceans, and the wide variety of geomorphologies and habitats account for the great coastal and marine biological richness of the overseas territories, far exceeding that of mainland France. Therefore, France has a huge responsibility to protect its reefs.
The French Coral Reef Initiative (IFRECOR) is the national version of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), of which France served as the host secretariat for three terms (1999-2000, 2009-2011 and 2016-2018). IFRECOR was created in 2000 by decision of the Prime Minister. It operates through five-year action plans (2000–2005; 2006–2010; 2011–2015; 2016–2021). It is currently in its fifth phase (2022–2026).
IFRECOR’s actions sit at the heart of France’s policies to preserve coral reefs. The Law for the Reconquest of Biodiversity and the national strategies for biodiversity and protected areas are aiming to achieve 100% protection of coral reefs by 2025, with a target of 50% effective protection by 2030. IFRECOR is one of the pillars of this ambition. IFRECOR is co-chaired by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Ministry of Overseas (Ministère de la Transition Ecologique et des Outre-mer).
IFRECOR Relies on:
The initiative is coordinated at the national level by a Secretariat managed by ministerial departments, assisted by an external technical support unit.
The action plan is divided into seven themes that are in line with IFRECOR’s strategic priority areas. These themes are related to the priority areas of the Coral Reefs Action Plan. They were selected following a survey of IFRECOR managers in the overseas territories and were adopted at the meeting of the National Committee on November 30, 2022. They represent IFRECOR’s priorities from 2022 to 2026 for the protection and management of coral reefs and associated ecosystems. Several additional topics are still being addressed during the fifth phase including: planning and resilience, links between uses, anthropogenic pressures and reef conditions, climate change, and financing.
Since the 4th Plan of Action (2016–2021), Blue Pangolin Consulting has been part of the external technical support unit. The main tasks are:
Francis has been involved in Ifrecor for a very long time, notably participating in the drafting of the decree creating Ifrecor in 1998/1999. In 1995, he organised a fundraising event. The event took place in September 2015 in Paris. He was also involved in Evaluation and capitalisation of the 3rd phase of the French Coral Reef Initiative.
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