SEVENSEAS Marine Conservation & Travel Issue 14, July 2016 | Page 33

geographical area that has not yet been studied.

From June 2016 to September 2018, approximately 40,000 samples will be collected and will ultimately provide new information on the unknown role of certain biochemical parameters -- acidity, salinity, turbidity, etc. We will also study certain species involved in the life of the reefs and their adaptation to major environmental changes.

Many stopovers to raise public awareness

Reefs are true oases of life: they offer food and shelter for a multitude of species and provide a direct livelihood to over 500 million people in the world thanks to fishing. During the 2-year expedition, Tara will make 70 stopovers to raise awareness concerning the richness and fragility of reefs.

The Tara Expeditions Foundation will take advantage of this expedition to appeal to policy makers and the business world, to raise public awareness about the most pressing environmental challenges as well as the problems faced by populations who depend on an ocean in good health.

“For biologically rich regions such as lagoons and coral reefs, protective measures are increasingly needed. But parallel to conservation, it's essential to support research -- to better understand and effectively protect these reefs”, says Romain Troublé, executive director of the Tara Expeditions Foundation. Sustainable development and establishing an ongoing dialogue about the environment are long-term challenges for the beginning of the 21st century.

www.taraexpeditions.org

www.taraexpeditions.org

On the program: film-screening, exhibition, school visits, conference with a local association. At each stopover, Tara will meet with local people involved in research or the preservation of reefs and focus attention on the work being done.

Major stopovers: Panama, Malpelo (Colombia), Easter Island, Papeete (French Polynesia), Cook Islands, Samoa, Wallis and Futuna, Kiribati Islands, Micronesia, Mariana, Japan, Taiwan, Fiji, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, ...

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