Marine resources of the economic zone of New Caledonia

The ZoNeCo programme, devoted to the evaluation of living and non-living ma rine resources within the Economic Zone of New Caledonia, illustrates clear ly the Marine Benthic Habitats concept. It exhibits the study of the physic al environment and disciplines such as geology and physical oceanography. T he results acquired in these fields are used as bases to study the presence and the distribution of living species within a given habitat. The knowled ge of all the parameters relative to each discipline is a useful guide for the evaluation and the sustainable management of living and nonliving resou rces. (C) 1999 Ifremer / CNRS / IRD / Editions scientifiques et medicales E lsevier SAS.