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...
Aquaculture under the stars in Tampolove
By Johanna Medvey, Blue Ventures volunteer, Andavadoaka, Madagascar We bump along the sandy tracks leading away from Andavadoaka, perched in our trusty ox carts as the sun rises and tinges the baobab trees pink. Our group of nine volunteers and three staff...
Using the right tools for the job: my experiences with TESSA
by Lalao Aigrette, Senior Blue Carbon Scientist, Toliara, Madagascar According to my colleagues, Kenya is my second home, as this trip marks my sixth visit to the east African country. I recently attended a follow-up workshop about the uses of the Toolkit...
Sailing serenity: how to spend your day off in Andavadoaka
By Madison Kane, Expedition Manager, Andavadoaka, Madagascar If you stand at the top of the hill at Coco Beach (the base for Blue Ventures’ expedition volunteers in Andavadoaka) and admire the village down below, you see hundreds of wooden canoes...
Mangrove reserve openings in Belo sur Mer: a photo diary
By Jeremie Bossert, Belo sur Mer Conservation Coordinator, Madagascar Mangrove forests provide rich fishing grounds for many coastal people in western Madagascar. Blue Ventures first trialled mangrove reserves – temporary areas closed to all fishing – with the community of...
Talking ‘pweza’ (octopus) on Pemba Island, Zanzibar
By Brian Jones, Conservation Coordinator, Toliara, Madagascar (Photos by Brian Jones and Jo Hudson) As far as reccie trips go, there are worse places to be sent than Pemba Island, Zanzibar. Though the coast of southwest Madagascar holds a special place in...
Lionfish searches and lobster tickling
By Andy Veal, Blue Ventures expedition volunteer, Belize After our first week of marine science classes in the beautiful fishing village of Sarteneja, myself and my fellow expedition volunteers were excited to finally make it to the Bacalar Chico Dive...
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...
Women octopus gleaners and loan sharks in Mozambique
The second update from my time in northern Mozambique, advising local NGO AMA and their Edinburgh-based partner Bioclimate on community-led octopus fishery management… Walking around the small and quiet village of Quiwia with a group of fisherwomen, we see racks of drying octopus lying in...
Entering the third dimension in Belo sur Mer
By Jérémie Bossert, Belo Sur Mer Coordinator, Madagascar Finally Madagascar has a democratically elected president! Things here have a tendency to move slowly, be it getting an authorisation signed, ordering a new generator part, or even electing a president. However,...
Celebrating reef week in Belize
Every year, organisations from across Belize come together to organise “reef week”, with a range of activities highlighting the crucial role of coral reefs in the country’s economy, food security and cultural heritage. In Sarteneja, Blue Ventures celebrated the event...
Staff Q&A with Madison Kane, Expeditions Manager, Andavadoaka, Madagascar
In the twentieth instalment in our series of Q&As with Blue Ventures staff, we ask Madison Kane, Expeditions Manager, Andavadoaka, some searching questions about science, conservation and superpowers…
‘Polvo’ and participatory mapping in Mozambique
It’s a good job I don’t mind getting my hands dirty! I’m standing on an island in the bay of Mocimboa da Praia in northern Mozambique with the sun beating down, and a group of about ten fishermen crowded around...
Diver! Diver! PADI Rescue Diver course in Andavadoaka
By Madison Kane, Expedition Manager, Andavadoaka, Madagascar “Diver! Diver! Are you okay?” … ”Someone call for help, I have an unconscious diver!” were the things being yelled from Half Moon Beach in Andavadoaka, but no need to be alarmed, it...
Celebrating women who inspire change
I'm currently volunteering with the Safidy programme in Andavadoaka, and was offered the opportunity to write this special blog post for International Women’s Day...