Happy campers
By Cari Walker, Blue Ventures volunteer, Andavadoaka, Madagascar. Half of the group on Expedition 63 took an overnight camping trip to the island of Andragnombala. We had initially intended to go to Tampolove. However, the local saying “it depends on...
Songs of the Sea
By Paul Firth, Blue Ventures volunteer, Andavadoaka, Madagascar ‘Vezo Aho’ is painted proudly on the square white sail of our slender wooden pirogue as Simba, our host, tightens it into the northerly wind and bears away towards Nosy Fasy, a...
New Junior Reporters Club initiative hopes to spread the conservation message through the younger generation by encouraging environmental awareness in the children of Madagascar
By George ‘Bic’ Manahira Exciting times here in south west Madagascar as Blue Ventures make preparations for a new project working with local kids – the Junior Reporters Club (JRC). In the village of Andavadoaka, there are a lot of...
Plenty more fish in the sea? Fish Dependence Day; when domestic fish consumption exceeds Britain’s supplies
Fishing further for your supper; July 16th marks UK dependence on fish from abroad as local stocks fail to meet our growing demand Are there really plenty more fish in the sea? What were once rich and fertile European waters...
A Day in the Life of a Samba-Getty Scholar
By Ravelomahafaly Andriamihaja Guénolé “After I had completed my scientific option baccalaureate in 2009, I had no idea what university life had in store for me. But now, I can congratulate myself on having survived” My name is Ravelomahafaly Andriamihaja Guénolé....
Mikoko Pamoja (Mangroves together)
By Lalao Aigrette Ravaoarinorotsihoarana, Mangrove REDD Research Manager, Blue Ventures Conservation. Earthwatch is an international NGO which runs a training program to enhance local and regional research capacity and has been supporting mangrove research in Kenya through the Tidal Forests...
Science Schooling
A poem by Naomi Lucas, Blue Ventures Medic, Sarteneja, Belize Welcome to the Benthic Test A sea of colours, shapes and crests Urchins, sponges, coral and algae Tunicates, ‘trolls hair’ and the cowrie Starting with soft coral whips and rods...
Reading the stars under Belo-sur-Mer
By Brian Jones, Community Research Coordinator, Belo-sur-Mer, Madagascar It was early May when we were planning our upcoming activities for the next two months, what with the pending mid-June departure of Charlie, our fearless leader and project coordinator here in...
“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...
Getting to know Belize
By Joe Armstrong, Blue Ventures Volunteer, Sarteneja, Belize Sarteneja As a group we spent a week in Sarteneja staying with local host families. My host family was amazing and the food was incredible! Everyone else seemed to be having similar...
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...
Not just about conservation…
By Richard Nimmo, Managing Director, London, UK. For many or even most of the people who interact with Blue Ventures we are likely to be regarded either as a conservation and research organisation or as an ethical tourism company. This...
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...