New Caledonia

The Red Reefs of Prony Bay

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One of the most interesting locations we visited in New Caledonia was Prony Bay. Prony Bay is located at the southern end of Grande Terre at the base of a large nickel mining operation. The towering red-tinged mountains in the background were just the beginning of the intriguing research site of Prony Bay. The visibility was very low because of fine reddish silt that formed a cloud every time a fin kick was a bit too close to the bottom. Therefore, the scientific divers had to be very careful with their buoyancy control. High turbidity, low salinity, and sedimentation run-off are poor environmental conditions for corals to be able to successfully live—let alone thrive. But a robust and diverse coral community is exactly what we found.

Conservation in New Caledonia

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The conservation efforts of New Caledonia are some of the most progressive we’ve seen in the South Pacific. There is a clear commitment from the government, Provinces, and local communities to conserve their marine resources. One way of doing this was through the establishment of Le Parc Naturel de la Mer de Corail. This park was designated to protect the natural and cultural heritage of New Caledonia, enforce sustainable use of its marine resources, and develop an internationally recognized marine conservation area that will contribute to the conservation of marine habitats globally.

Report on New Caledonia’s coral reefs offers a glimmer of hope for the future

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Scientists on the Global Reef Expedition surveyed and mapped New Caledonia’s most remote coral reefs—some for the first time. Today, the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is proud to release a report of our findings. The ‘Global Reef Expedition: New Caledonia Final Report’ provides an assessment of the status of New Caledonia’s coral reefs, along with recommendations that can help preserve the reefs into the future.