The Scientific Council
The advisory committee of the Coral Sea Natural Park is assisted, in the execution of its missions, by a scientific council.
It was originally a "scientific committee", created on September 11, 2018 by decree of the government of New Caledonia, in accordance with the text creating the Park dated April 23, 2014.
Until November 2024, the Park's scientific committee provided its scientific expertise to New Caledonia and the management committee for all questions relating to research work carried out or to be carried out in the Coral Sea Natural Park. It has issued opinions on sometimes complex files and its mission is to identify the main scientific issues linked to the management plan.
The 15 members of the scientific committee were identified by CRESICA (Cooperation Consortium for Research, Higher Education and Innovation in New Caledonia) as independent specialists recognized for their scientific skills and their knowledge of the ecosystems present within of the Coral Sea Natural Park. Among the 15 experts on the first scientific committee, 12 are locally based and 3 are based outside: in New Zealand, Canada and France.
Appointed on December 29, 2021 for three years, the members of the second scientific committee designated the president, vice-president and secretary of the office on January 19, 2022.
During the first meeting, the following were appointed: Claude Payri, president; Pascal Dumas, vice-president and Géraldine Giraudeau, office secretary.
In November 2024, the revision of the governance of the Coral Sea Natural Park and the transformation of the "management committee" into an "advisory committee", by order of the government of New Caledonia, renames the "scientific committee", which becomes the “scientific council”.
THE FIRST COMMITTEE
In place since december 12, 2018 for one year, members of the scientific committee elected a president (Gilles Boeuf), a vice president (Claude Payri) and a secretary (Géraldine Giraudeau).
COMMITTEE RENEWAL AND NEW MEMBERS
Appointed in September 2018, the 12 members who advise the Park management committee in its work have been confirmed in their functions for the next three years. The committee, which brings its scientific expertise to New Caledonia and to the management committee for all questions relating to research work, carried out or to be carried out, in the Natural Park of the Coral Sea, and sometimes issues opinions on files mission, to identify the main scientific issues related to the 2018-2022 management plan.
A new office
Claude Payri was elected president during the renewal of the last scientific committee, Pascal Dumas becomes vice-president and Geraldine Giraudeau ramins secretary. A mandate extended to three years instead of one year.
Long-term work that the members of the scientific committee will ba able to continue after the government has decided to renew their mandate and extend its term th three years, instead of one.
Twelve to fifteen members
The scientific committee welcomes 3 new local specialists, in order to widen its fields of comptetence, then bringing the number of members to 15 ! From now on will sit on the scientific committee of the Natural Park of the Coral Sea : Valerie Allain (fisheries scientist), Samuel Gorohouna (economist) and Catherine Sabinot (anthropologist).
