Fisheries in the Pacific

Kanak coastal communities and fisheries meeting new governance challenges…
determination process also aims to create a socioeconomic balance 15 between the
north of the island (with a Kanak majority) and the south (mostly Westernized
around the main city of Noumea). Another objective is to build symbols 16 that could
be shared by all of the inhabitants of New Caledonia and therefore induce a sense of
“common destiny” among them (Leblic 2007; Faugère and Merle 2010). Some of
these symbols were widely accepted (slogan, anthem) but there continues to be
sharp controversy over the future flag of New Caledonia, which is subject to social and
political tensions (Les Nouvelles calédoniennes 2015).
Figure 3: Distribution of communities in New Caledonia in 2009
Sources: S. Cornier and I. Leblic, using “Répartition de la population par communauté en 2009”, ISEE, URL:
http://www.isee.nc/population/recensement/communautes
New Caledonia cultural and marine biological diversity
Due to the French government’s settlement and development policies, people from
various countries and other islands of the Pacific region started to occupy the archipelago
from the 19 th century onward. Initially, metropolitan French were deported
to New Caledonia, then, starting in the 20 th century, others were attracted by economic
and employment opportunities, and were encouraged by the French
government (Leblic 1993). The history of the colonization, settlement and development
of the territory, combined with Oceanian migration processes, thus contributed to
the formation of a multi-ethnic society (see fig. 3). Complex claims based on
community, identity and language are being voiced in the New Caledonian society
15. See also Leblic (1993) for a previous socioeconomic north-south rebalancing project in the 1980s.
16. Among which a flag, the future name of New Caledonia, a slogan, an anthem and currency graphics.
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