Brutal winter storms in the Tasman Sea made the leg from New Caledonia the most challenging.

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"There is no environmental regulation in New Caledonia, no legislation and no enforcement, " Hutton said.

CNN: Green bid to preserve Pacific reef

Expatriates, mainly French, make up nearly 40% of the population of New Caledonia.

CNN: HE BRITISH FORCES LANDED

But still France hangs on, seemingly oblivious to the parallels between New Caledonia in the 1990s and Algeria in the 1950s.

CNN: HE BRITISH FORCES LANDED

New Caledonia produces 30 percent of the world's nickel, with major producers SLN, Inco, Phelps Dodge and Falconridge all operating there.

CNN: Green bid to preserve Pacific reef

Weather allowing, the Plastiki will leave New Caledonia by this Friday to begin their home stretch journey to Australia's eastern coast.

CNN: Plastiki ready to leave New Caledonia

Crew members will use the stop in New Caledonia to ensure that the repairs can withstand the rougher seas that lie ahead.

CNN: Plastiki ready to leave New Caledonia

The team now languishes at 108th, behind countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, New Caledonia and Cape Verde islands.

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The reef campaign was launched by Green group representatives from New Caledonia's indigenous population, as well as Green supporters from France and Australia.

CNN: Green bid to preserve Pacific reef

The reefs, the second biggest system in the world after Australia's Great Barrier Reef, are under threat from nickel mining on New Caledonia, Green groups say.

CNN: Green bid to preserve Pacific reef

Benjamin currently is passing the island nation of New Caledonia about 750 miles east of Australia and is expected to complete its journey early next year.

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The Wallis and Futuna islands, French Polynesia and New Caledonia may be scattered across the southern rim of the Pacific, separated from France by oceans and continents.

CNN: HE BRITISH FORCES LANDED

CANBERRA, Australia -- Global Green groups have begun a campaign to have the coral reefs of the Pacific island of New Caledonia nominated for World Heritage listing.

CNN: Green bid to preserve Pacific reef

Kreddha has been involved in mediation work in the Niger Delta, and in New Caledonia between a mining corporation, Goro Nickel, and an indigenous environmental organisation called Rheebu Nuu.

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New Caledonia is one of its largest Pacific possessions.

ECONOMIST: New Caledonia

Jean Wanabo, president of the Senat Coutumier which represents the indigenous Kanak people of New Caledonia, said the reef campaign was an important way in which his people could show the world what was happening in New Caledonia.

CNN: Green bid to preserve Pacific reef

Drew Hutton from the Australian Greens party told a media confererence Sunday that it was important to realize that New Caledonia had no environmental protection laws of its own, nor was the environment there covered by French laws.

CNN: Green bid to preserve Pacific reef