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The Ua Pou islets Pacific rat eradication operation was undertaken in August-September 2023. It attempted a global first of aerially broadcasting rodent bait by drone from a small ship in open sea across the islets of Motu Tākaè, Motu Oa, and Motu Mokohe, at Ua Pou in the Marquesas Islands. The aerial bait application resulted in only two of the three islands having bait successfully applied across their entirety, nonetheless, monitoring 12 months later has confirmed Motu Oa and Motu Tākaè are rat free as is the partially isolated section of Motu Mokohe that was also baited. The eradication success is supported by the establishment of biosecurity knowledge and practices throughout the Ua Pou communities. The results of the seabird and other environmental monitoring will help sustain a commitment over time, as well as benefiting the wider conservation community. The operation demonstrated that drones could be operated off a boat for rodent eradication purposes but was constrained by the consistently strong winds and swell conditions. A larger vessel with a deeper draught is recommended for similar operations in the future and would likely increase the number of flyable days and improve the ease with which take-offs and landings are undertaken by the drone pilots.

Recent studies have shown that many coral reefs are capable of yielding a total fish catch of 18- 24 T.Km-2 (Hill, 1978; Alcala, 1981; Munro, 1987). There are, however, no estimates for the productivity and yield of fishes associated with coral reefs in French Polynesia. This study was designed to determine the fisheries yield from a part of the fringing reef on the island of Moorea, French Polynesia.

In a typical High Island coral reef complex of French Polynesia (transect of Tiahura, Hoorea Island, Society Archipelago!, 73 species of decapod Reptantia and stomatopod crustaceans were collected. Over 9 stations localised along the transect, 3 different units of hard coral substrate of simi1ar volume (about 17 litres each), were sampled at each station. The results are discussed from two aspects : the first shows that at least 50 carcinologic species occur within the cavitary biotopes ; 16 species (mainly Xanthid crabs), represent more than 90% of all collected individuals. Most of the dominant species are widely distributed along the transect (Chlorodiella barbata, Pilodius pugil, Lipcarpilodes integerrimus, Galathea aculeata), and locally, some others are numerically important (Chlorodiella Laevissima, Globopilumnus globosus, Daira perlata,Phymodius ungulatus, etc.). The second aspect concerns the repartition of species in the different biotopes in relation to their feeding habits. Based on the functional morphology of chelipeds, mouth-parts and gastric sill, and on gut content analysis, the species were placed into 5 MORPHO- LOGIC GROUPS : filter-suspension feeders, omnivores/herbivores, omnivores/carnivores, generalised omnivores and predators. The feeding habits and the distribution pattern of abundant species suggest that trophic and habitat partitioning say exist. The predominant species show either different nutritional modes, or inhabit different areas and/or biotopes. Distribution patterns of the morphologic groups ip the different substrates are proposed, and schemes of interspecific relation; are analysed.

Mongabay rainforest profiles: American Samoa, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu