Marine Conservation Activities in MadagascarMarine Conservation Activities in Madagascar

Harifidy Ralison

January 2008

Objectives:

To develop and implement strategies to conserve the marine and coastal biodiversity of Madagascar in coherence with the global priorities of WWF, the regional and national priorities

- Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) establishment

- Sustainable fisheries

- Species

- Certification

Southern Toliara MPA

The programme intervention areas

Near Toliara: Ranobe and Onilahy

Northern Morondava

Maintirano and Iles Barren Archipelago

Nosy Hara Archipelago

Northern Toliara: Salary Bay

Main Activities

Creating and/or make operational MPAs in cooperation with Creating and/or make operational MPAs in cooperation with

governmental organizations and partnersgovernmental organizations and partners

Establishing sustainable traditional fisheries management system and Establishing sustainable traditional fisheries management system and

mechanismsmechanisms

Developing standards for shrimp farmsDeveloping standards for shrimp farms

Contributing to marine turtles conservation actionsContributing to marine turtles conservation actions

Developing tools, strategies and policies for an effective conservation Developing tools, strategies and policies for an effective conservation

of marine ecosystems (MPAs, climate change, fisheries)of marine ecosystems (MPAs, climate change, fisheries)

Main Achievements

Strong buy-in of all actors for setting up the Nosy Hara MPA and the Strong buy-in of all actors for setting up the Nosy Hara MPA and the

coming out of the temporary protection statuscoming out of the temporary protection status

Significant start-up of the creation process for the southern Toliara MPASignificant start-up of the creation process for the southern Toliara MPA

Availability of marine and socio-economic data crucial for elaborating Availability of marine and socio-economic data crucial for elaborating

the MPA feasibility document and prioritizing conservation zonesthe MPA feasibility document and prioritizing conservation zones

Effective implementation of the project supporting traditional fishermen Effective implementation of the project supporting traditional fishermen

communities in the southern Toliara MPA areacommunities in the southern Toliara MPA area

Effective support to a marine turtle conservation project in MaintiranoEffective support to a marine turtle conservation project in Maintirano

Achievements and Impacts

Launching of the shrimp certification programme and the climate Launching of the shrimp certification programme and the climate

change vulnerability assessmentchange vulnerability assessment

Effective field activities implementation for many projects leading to Effective field activities implementation for many projects leading to

awareness raised for local communitiesawareness raised for local communities

Partners are feeling considerable support from WWFPartners are feeling considerable support from WWF

New projects identified leading to intense fundraisingNew projects identified leading to intense fundraising

Promotion through the media placing WWF in the marine and coastal Promotion through the media placing WWF in the marine and coastal

conservation domain in Madagascarconservation domain in Madagascar

Nosy Hara Archipelago Ecological status

17 karstic islets some of which are traditionally taboo Karstic islands very characteristic (“Tsingy”) bearing highly endemic

fauna and flora Historical and cultural for the Antakarana people: hide from highlands

warriors, royal tombs Ornithologic worldwide importance and regional importance for sea

turtles ‘No-man’s land’ so potentially in danger in terms of abusive resource

exploitation Extraordinary beauty of underwater seascape Abundance of marine resources (corals, fishes, sea cucumbers,

sharks).

Southern Toliara Ecological status

• Influence of the South Equatorial Current – The south branch of East Madagascar Current (EMC) going around Cap Ste Marie

• Cold currents rich in nutrients from south infleunce this combined with complex and variable regime of the Mozambica channel

• An enrichment zone associated with the submarine canyon of St Augustin

• Very narrow continental shelf - Grand Récif de Toliara some km only from continental slope (big pelagic fish on reef slope)

• Large wavelength of the quasi-permanent southwest current and important tide (2-3 m) – reef development highly marked characterized by a large external slope

Constraints and Perspectives

• Site access difficultSite access difficult

• Need to change the communities’ mentality instead of implementing Need to change the communities’ mentality instead of implementing

project activitiesproject activities

• Marine skill rarely availableMarine skill rarely available

• Lack of coordination of projects/ interventionsLack of coordination of projects/ interventions

• Lack of data collection norms and data managementLack of data collection norms and data management

Thank you for your attention