Ifrecor Polynesia is organizing the 3rd edition of its TO’A Reef 2026 Awards, from Monday, June 8th, United Nations World Ocean Day, until Monday, October 5th, 2026. Under the motto « Reefs are our survival, let’s unite to preserve them! », this edition will recognize 13 concrete solutions for the protection of coral ecosystems. Here’s what you need to know.
The 2026 TO’A Reef Trophies, awarded by Ifrecor Polynesia, are part of the operational implementation of Ifrecor Polynesia’s 2024-2028 five-year strategy and action plan , a Polynesian roadmap co-created collaboratively by local stakeholders. They aim to support and reward high-impact actions and solutions for the protection of coral reefs and lagoons in French Polynesia and are open to associations, private sector actors, research organizations, and schools, from preschool to high school.
Since their launch in 2024, the TO’A Reef Trophies have attracted over 70 applications from 16 islands and atolls across the five archipelagos. 26 winning projects have been recognized and promoted by Ifrecor Polynesia.
Ifrecor Polynesia is a catalyst for initiatives in support of coral reefs. It is the Polynesian local committee of the French Initiative for Coral Reefs (Ifrecor) , which has been working for more than a quarter of a century for the protection and sustainable management of coral reefs and associated ecosystems.
Call to action for the protection of reefs and lagoons
Coral reefs form the ecological, economic, and cultural foundation of Polynesia. True nurseries, they harbor nearly a third of marine biodiversity. They act as a natural protective barrier against strong swells and coastal erosion. Their good health guarantees both the food security of the local population and the sustainable socio-economic development of the three pillars of the Polynesian economy: tourism, pearl farming, and fishing.
It is therefore essential to strengthen scientific knowledge, share traditional knowledge, stimulate local innovation, and raise awareness among all audiences about best practices and the urgent need to protect Polynesian reefs and lagoons. Currently severely threatened by the effects of climate change, the intensification of marine heatwaves, and human-induced pressures (overfishing, pollution, coastal urbanization, sedimentation), Polynesian reefs need protection.
Promoting solutions from field actors
The TO’A Reef 2026 Grand Prize, across all categories, comes with a prize of 1 million XPF. Four other thematic trophies, worth 500,000 XPF each, reward project leaders:
● The Innovation Trophy recognizes innovative solutions for the health of reefs and lagoons.
● The Awareness Trophy recognizes actions to transmit and mobilize the public.
● The Archipelagos Trophy rewards projects that promote the resilience of islands and atolls.
● Finally, the Participatory Science Trophy honors initiatives involving citizens and local communities in the scientific monitoring and knowledge of coral ecosystems.
“My reef, my culture”: schoolchildren and the local population involved
The competition also engages the public around the People’s Choice Award – Projects, worth 500,000 XPF. This award allows the general public to support their favorite projects online and choose the winner.
Applications can be submitted until Monday, October 5, 2026.
● For associations, research operators and private actors: https://forms.gle/6vS5ATSqHhrtaHMS7
● For schools: https://forms.gle/WUs7CotQUdkJoNAKA
Projects will be evaluated according to criteria of relevance, impact, technological and social innovation, collaborative approach and consistency with the 2024-2028 five-year strategy and action plan of Ifrecor Polynesia .
Source: Le Petit Journal
