News
Madagascar establishes a sanctuary for sharks
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has reported that the government of Madagascar has established its first shark sanctuary in an area famous for its marine biodiversity.
The new marine protections apply to Antongil Bay, which is located in northwestern Madagascar and is known for its coral reefs and seasonal humpback whale population. The measures include the shark sanctuary, restrictions on international fishing boats in the bay, the establishment of locally managed marine areas (LMMAs), and the granting of exclusive use and management rights to local communities.
The WCS says the regulations will improve local governance over marine resources.
“The new law legally empowers local communities to manage nearshore fishing grounds through a growing network of locally managed marine areas (LMMAs), 25 of which have already been established with the support of WCS,” said the group. “The regulations of these areas—including no-take marine reserves and temporary closures—are locally designed and enforced. By securing management and use rights of LMMAs for local communities for the first time in Madagascar, the law aims to transform marine resources from open access areas that typically result in short-term exploitation at the expense of long-term sustainability to exclusive access for local fishers who can garner the benefits of managing their own marine resources.”
“The law also establishes collaborative arrangements between artisanal and industrial fishers, civil society, and government to work together on the sustainable management of fisheries in Antongil Bay.”
The WCS added that the measures will help protect Antongil Bay’s 19 species of shark and marine ecosystems while supporting local livelihoods.
“This pilot initiative will reduce coral reef degradation, improve abundance of endangered species of sharks, and sustain fisheries yields with long-term livelihoods and food security benefits thanks to restored fish stocks potentially reaching 100,000 coastal inhabitants living around Antongil Bay,” said Ambroise Brenier, Marine Technical Director of the WCS’s Madagascar Program, in a statement.
The new protections bolster conservation in the region, which is the most biodiverse part of Madagascar. In addition to existing marine protected areas in the bay, adjacent forests are legally protected in Masoala National Park and Makira Natural Park, although in recent years both parks have been hit by illegal logging and poaching.
Source: news.mongabay.com
Photo: Jürg Brand
News
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Blogs
The BiG Scuba Podcast Episode 180: Dawn Kernagis
Gemma and Ian chat to Dawn Kernagis. Dawn joined DEEP in 2023 as the Director of Scientific Research. DEEP is an ocean technology and exploration company with a mission to ‘Make Humans Aquatic.’ DEEP’s undersea habitat and submersible systems, combined with multi-phased diver and human performance training, will create the next evolution of subsea science, research, and exploration capabilities. Dawn is a NASA-trained NEEMO Aquanaut, Explorer’s Club Fellow and Women Divers Hall of Fame Inductee and who is also tasked to establish DEEP’s first US presence in North Carolina. Dawn has also been a diver with numerous underwater exploration, research, and conservation projects since 1993, including the mapping and record-setting exploration of some of the deepest underwater caves in the world.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-kernagis-995383152/
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