A unique partnership between the local community, local and international NGOs and institutions aiming to show the economic, conservation and fisheries benefits of Madagascar’s first community-run experimental Marine Protected Area (MPA). The partnership aims to address the issues of increasing poverty and unsustainable resource
use in Andavadoaka and to identify strategies and targets that the local community can work towards to develop sustainable local environmental management plans for Andavadoaka’s unique marine and coastal environment. The focus is on improving the quality of life of the Andavadoakan community who depend on the area’s marine resources while maintaining the biological diversity and productivity of the reefs. The partnership has enabled the pooling of resources, talents and experiences from a range of national and international organisations, providing a wealth of technical expertise to assist in the successful development of this initiative. A multi-disciplinary approach is taken, involving broad-scale fisheries monitoring research, coral reef monitoring and socioeconomic monitoring, alongside capacity building for community conservation initiatives aiming to promote sustainable fisheries management plans.