On February 23, CRIOBE’s Director, Serge Planes, welcomed French Overseas Minister George Pau-Langevin to CRIOBE and the island of Moorea. Minister Pau-Langevin accompanied the President of France, François Hollande, as part the delegation for his recent tour of the Pacific, and Moorea was an important stop for the Minister during this visit.

Welcome of Madame the Minister by the Directeur of the Criobe

Minister Pau-Laugevin was accompanied by the President of French Polynesia Edouard Fritch, members of his government, Senator Lana Tetuanui, members of Parliament Maina Sage and Jean-Paul Tuaiva, the President of the Assembly Marcel Tuihani,  Mayor of Moorea Evans Haumani, locally elected officials and the High Commissioner Lionel Beffre. Dr Planes and other CRIOBE researchers provided the Minister and her delegation with a summary of the CRIOBE, highlighting results from more than four decades of research and data collected from the coral reefs of the South Pacific. Dr Planes made specific reference to the many projects supported by the French and French Polynesian Governments during this time.

from left to right : High Commissioner Lionel Beffre, French Overseas Minister George Pau-Langevin, President of French Polynesia Edouard Fritch and President of the Assembly Marcel Tuihani

Serge Planes introducing the CRIOBE

The visitors were treated to a tour of CRIOBE’s many facilities and several of CRIOBE’s scientists presented their research, including: Manon Amiguet (Master student EPHE, shark physiology), Anthoine Puisay (PhD student, Cifre grant, Coral Biology) and Pierre Sasal (CNRS researcher, Eels).

Manon explains experiences done on shark physiology  in the contexte of climate change

Pierre Sasal speak about his eels survey

The visite ended under the Fare Pote of the CRIOBE, where Tamatoa Bambridge (CNRS researcher), Joachim Claudet (CNRS researcher) and three of their students presented on some of the social science work being done at the CRIOBE.

Presentation under the Fare Pote of the  CRIOBE

After a group photo, the ministerial delegation continued her visite with the Opunohu highschool.

More information on this official visit : Tahiti Info and Tahiti News