Category: Madagascar
“Des Baleines et des Hommes”
By Sophie Benbow, Marine Science Coordinator, Toliara, Madagascar In total, 11 species of marine mammal have been sighted in the coastal waters around Madagascar. Of these, the most abundant and most frequently sighted are the humpback whales which visit Madagascar...
A week to remember in Victoria – representing Velondriake at the IMCC II
By Gildas Andriamalala, Velondriake MPA Project Manager, Andavadoaka, Madagascar. Once again I set off across the world from Madagascar to Victoria, Canada, battling with time zones and airport transits, in order to share work experiences from southwest Madagascar’s Locally Managed...
Fano Lany, Vezo Manegny (if turtles disappear, the Vezo will regret)
By Fran Humber, Research Coordinator, Andavadoaka, Madagascar. Over the last week in Andavadoaka there has only been one thing on our minds – turtles! A festival to raise awareness about marine turtles and their conservation in Velondriake has kicked off...
NGO Honko visits Velondriake
By Kame Westerman, Velondriake MPA Project Coordinator, Andavadoaka, Madagascar. The success of Blue Ventures and the Velondriake Locally Managed Marine Area has attracted a great deal of attention from other organizations implementing community conservation activities. In late May, Velondriake members...
From southern Madagascar to Rodrigues: promoting dialogue to share lessons learned in fisheries management
By Alasdair Harris, BV’s Founder and Research Director, Antananarivo, Madagascar Throughout southern Madagascar, temporary closures of octopus fishing grounds are emerging as a popular management tool for this economically important fishery. In southwest Madagascar alone, over 100 such fishery closures...
Samba-Getty scholars and committee meet to review academic progress
In Toliara, southwest Madagascar, on the 28th of April 2011, the IHSM (Institut Halieuteque et des Sciences Marines) successfully played host to the first meeting for all students supported by the “Roger Samba – J Paul Getty” fellowship programme. As well...
An update from former BV Scholar, Mirana Razafindramboa
By Mirana Razafindramboa, Former BV Scholar, Rochester Institute of Technology, New York State, USA. The zoo in Antananarivo was a strange place in the 1980s. As a child, the lemurs and birds imprisoned in tiny, rusty cages seemed perfectly happy,...
Young conservation leaders attend national workshop to discuss implications of climate change
Youth of today, although often under-represented in policy and decision making, are playing a critical role within global efforts to conserve biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change. Within Madagascar, a thriving network of young conservationists is already at...
Living in Eco-Cabins!
By Sally Grice, Blue Ventures Volunteer, Andavadoaka, Madagascar. When we first arrived at Half Moon Beach the first thing that we noticed was the spectacular view across the sea, stretching from Andava Beach and beyond to Coco Beach in the...
Guitarfish a Go-Go- Bribes and barrages in Belo-sur-Mer
By Brian Jones, Community Research Coordinator, Belo-sur-mer, Madagascar. You’ve got to admire the mettle of people who, despite the cards being seemingly insurmountably stacked against them, can still stick to their guns and stand up for what they believe in....
Life in a pirogue
By Georgie Killingbeck, Blue Ventures Volunteer, Andavadoaka, Madagascar. My first experience on a pirogue was our journey to Nosy Hao, a day trip to a nearby island with all the volunteers. It is a very relaxed and gentle way of...
Relocating to the bright lights of Toliara
By Shawn Peabody, Conservation Coordinator, Toliara, Madagascar. In September, I left the dramatic ocean sunsets, gently lapping ocean waves, and starry, breezy nights of BV’s Andavadoaka field site for the dust, noise, and stagnant air of the city of Toliara....
30 minutes of fame in Mombasa
By Brian Jones, Community Research Coordinator, Belo-sur-mer, Madagascar. It’s 12:30am, and I’ve just finished talking to myself in the mirror of my hotel room, nestled in a corner of what is probably the best watered garden in all of Mombasa,...
Descending the mighty Mangoky
By Alasdair Harris, BV’s Founder and Research Director, Antananarivo, Madagascar The mighty Mangoky river, perhaps best known for its rich mangrove delta bordering the Mozambique Channel, is Madagascar’s biggest, starting its journey in the central highlands near Fianarantsoa, descending between...
BV Hosts Annual Open Day
By Kame Westerman, Velondriake MPA Project Coordinator, Andavadoaka, Madagascar. On Saturday, February 26th, Blue Ventures hosted an annual Open Day celebration in Andavadoaka to showcase our work to the local communities. In the BV classroom, marine conservation videos captivated audiences...