On April 13th, Blue Ventures and WWF held a joint launch workshop to officially introduce to national authorities two marine conservation projects in Madagascar. Both of these five-year projects, funded by the Blue Action Fund through the Green Climate Fund, seek to protect key marine ecosystems on Madagascar’s West coast. Blue Ventures’ project aims to build resilience to climate change in the Barren Isles through a newly created Marine Protected Area – the biggest MPA in the Western Indian Ocean – and community-based approach of marine management. WWF’s project aims to elevate Ecosystem based Approaches (EbA) in the Tsimanampesotse – Nosy Ve Androka Biosphere Reserve seascape. Both projects have a focus on addressing MPA governance and sustainable livelihoods. The workshop was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy, the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, the Green Climate Fund, the Embassy of the United Kingdom, the Swedish Consulate, the Norwegian Consulate, as well as project partners. Minister Paubert Mahatante of the Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy said of the two projects: “I hope that the partners, including WWF and Blue Ventures as well as all the actors, will transform the fisheries sector where there are fishing violations and IUU fishing.”