Category: Barren Isles and Maintirano
Located off Madagascar’s west coast near Maintirano, the remote Barren Isles archipelago harbours vast fringing reefs and staggering levels of fish biomass. We’ve been working with the regional government and local communities since 2010 to develop a new marine protected area, set to be the largest in the western Indian Ocean region.
Setting sail in Maintirano: the early days
by Florence Pichon, Barren Isles Project Coordinator, Maintirano, Madagascar I can hardly believe it’s been two months since I arrived in Maintirano; a sleepy, beautiful coastal town in western Madagascar. Settling in here as the new project coordinator for the...
On the road: tales from your semi-nomadic Conservation Coordinator
By Brian Jones, Conservation Coordinator, Toliara, Madagascar (All photos courtesy of Brian Jones) After almost six years of living in remote villages throughout Madagascar, the modern amenities of Toliara, like hot showers and wifi, were a welcome relief when I...
Staff Q&A with Olivier Raynaud, Maintirano and Barren Isles Project Coordinator
In the first instalment in our series of Q&As with Blue Ventures staff, we ask Olivier Raynaud, our Maintirano and Barren Isles Project Coordinator, some searching questions about science, conservation and superpowers… What is your scientific background? My academic background...
Island life: monitoring nesting turtles in the Barren Isles
by Olivier Raynaud, Maintirano & Barren Isles Project Coordinator, Madagascar Among the variety of natural riches that can be found in the Barren Isles’ diverse ecosystems are five of the world’s seven marine turtle species; the leatherback, loggerhead , olive ridley,...
Sailing towards the Barren Isles locally managed marine protected area: tackling the wind and forging ahead
by Olivier Raynaud, Maintirano & Barren Isles Project Coordinator, Madagascar In our quest for a durable and efficient management configuration, in order to preserve and organise the utilisation of the Barren Isles’ precious ecosystems, Blue Ventures has had to address local...
Maintirano’s moment of glory: the Journée Nationale de la Pêche et de l’Aquaculture
by Olivier Raynaud, Maintirano and Barren Isles Project Coordinator, Madagascar September 19th to 21st 2012 found our little town in quite a frenzy as it hosted the National Day for Fishing and Aquaculture (JNPA). Typically, the narrow streets of Maintirano...
War and peace: talking about the Barren Isles
by Olivier Raynaud, Maintirano & Barren Isles Project Coordinator, Madagascar I’ve just arrived in the little town of Maintirano as the new project coordinator for the Barren Isles Marine Protected Area (MPA). My first impression is most definitely that Maintirano...
Setting sail: a brief look at migration in southwest Madagascar
By Kame Westerman, Velondriake LMMA Coordinator, Madagascar Human migration can be influenced by a number of factors – political, social, economic, physical, and even cultural. In southwest Madagascar, where Blue Ventures works, migration is an important factor to consider when...
A return trip….
by Jon Schleyer, Blue Ventures Film Maker, Madagascar Three years ago, on my first trip to Madagascar, I settled in for an exceptional adventure as I embarked on a pirogue (dugout outrigger canoe with a large square sail rig) to cruise...
A Carnivorous Appetite
by Charlie Gough, Marine Research Coordinator, Madagascar We have now successfully completed a number of dives on the reefs of the Barren islands, on the western coast of Madagascar, and despite our wide eyes at the wonderful reefs sparkling with...
A Different Point of View
By Ryan Vickers, Independent Film Maker, USA So I have been asked to write this blog, about the expedition, without guidance or parameters. Being neither a scientist nor researcher I no doubt have a different perspective than the rest of the team....
Talking about Turtles
by Charlie Gough, Marine Research Coordinator, Madagascar As the afternoon draws near, a crowd gathers in the centre of the small market town of Maintirano in western Madagascar. Men, women and children find their perches out of the strong rays...
A gift from the ancestors
by Dr Garth Cripps, Senior Conservation Scientist, Madagascar Portuguese sailors first noted the extensive coral reefs and rocky shoals of the Barren Isles on their charts at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Five hundred years later, the marine diversity...
Studying the impact of overexploitation on coral reef fish communities
By Dr Yann Frejaville, Fisheries Scientist, Madagascar Acquiring better knowledge of the ecosystems we belong to is a clear goal for those who work towards the sustainable use of natural resources. Coral Reefs are incredibly complex ecosystems which we are...
Diving in Madagascar
by George (Bic) Manahira, Blue Ventures Dive Manager & Coral Reef Monitoring Coordinator, Madagascar Running parallel to the southwest coast of Madagascar is one of the longest reefs in the world. It starts south of Toliara, the regional capital, and...