Sustainable management of small-scale coastal fisheries

in Northern Madagascar

ACHIEVEMENTS: From December 2022 to July 2023

To promote Sustainable management of small-scale coastal fisheries in Northern Madagascar, the ECOFISH-C3 Madagascar provided the following supports to date:

  • 1 year fisheries data collected in Ambolobozokely, Nosy Hara and Irodo KBA
  • 148 individuals and 50 households participated in socioeconomic survey on small-scale fishing resource utilisation regarding the significance of the marine resources  derived from small-scale fisheries across three sites.
  • 240 Junior Ecoguards from 13 schools participated in 2 days youth immersion programme
  • 13 schools received funds to organize independently awareness activities on marine biodiversity conservation within their communities
  • Over 50 Junior Ecoguards participated in international awareness day, including World Wetland Day, World Environmental Day and World Ocean Days

EXPECTED OUTPUTS:

  • High level of awareness of fishing rules and regulations
  • Increased motivation for the active management of their respective LMMAs
  • Capacity building for fishermen’s unions and women’s associations
  • Establishment of management and monitoring plans
  • Capacity building with 300 local fishermen trained in the management and control of marine protected areas (50% women)
  • Equality between the number of men and women in participation in the discourse and management of protected areas
  • Availability of active management regimes and related fisheries policy documents
  • Sharing of good practices resulting from the intervention and associated reports, at the national level to facilitate replication
  • Ensuring food safety
  • Elimination of threats from migrant fishermen which will strengthen community ownership and control of coastal resources
  • Offer of safety margin for the recovery of habitats and fish stocks by LMMAs in the event of natural disasters (cyclones, floods, etc.)

 

ACTIVITIES:

  • Monthly data collection at landing sites (12 months)
  • Socio-economic surveys of households dependent on fishing
  • Training of 30 local investigators (fishermen) at the landing sites in each zone
  • Regular quality control and evaluation of data collected by the landing site teams
  • Development of community fisheries management structures
  • Identification of lessons learned when developing the community application program through stakeholder consultation
  • Development of a guidance note in collaboration with local fisheries management structures
  • Training of 30 junior eco-guards per site focused on fisheries management
  • Quarterly social marketing events at each site
  • Consultations with community and local management structures. Identification of key areas on which to focus fisheries management
  • Development of formal management plans approved by the community
  • Consensus reached on the most likely management measure to be successful
  • Implementation of measures
  • Continuous monitoring of implementation success and impacts on fish stocks and catches
  • Collaboration with the MIHARI network to promote information exchange meetings with other LMMAs