In August 2025, Mafia Island Marine Park (MIMP) proudly joined hands with global partners in a groundbreaking Coral Conservation and Restoration Training held on Mansuar Island, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This intensive one-month training, organized by the Small Islands Organisation (SMILO) in collaboration with The Sea People – Orang Laut Papua, Ocean Gardener, and The Ropes
From July 21 to 27, 2025, COMRED hosted seventeen individuals from Madagascar working in marine conservation. This delegation included “Ocean Defenders” – fishermen and women actively preserving ecosystems within their communities – and representatives from NGOs such as Natiora Defenders, Blue Ventures, the Velondriake Association, and WCS. They visited the Beach Management Units (BMUs) of
The future Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Barren Isles, situated in the Melaky region of Madagascar, represents a marine paradise that is under threat from overfishing and climate change. In an effort to address these pressing issues, eleven local community leaders participated in an exchange visit to the Velondriake Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA)
As part of its ongoing commitment to support sustainable marine resource management and empower small-scale fishers, the MIHARI Network organized two major exchange visits in July and August—one in Nosy Ve Androka (Atsimo Andrefana) and another in Sainte Luce (Atsimo Atsinanana). These visits brought together LMMA leaders from across Madagascar to observe firsthand the EbA
Mafia Island, Tanzania – April 11, 2025 – The Marine Parks and Reserves Unit (MPRU) marked a significant milestone as five staff members earned certifications in Rescue Diving and Emergency First Response (EFR), following an intensive two-week training program in Mafia Island. This initiative, facilitated by Plongeurs Du Monde (Divers of the World), underscores MPRU’s
The WIO-COMPAS Programme marked a significant milestone with its first Portuguese certification event, held in Maputo, Mozambique, from April 14-18, 2025. Funded by JNCC, this event aimed to bolster marine conservation capacity in the region. The week began with a workshop gathering 20 participants, including Eugenio Manhica, Director of Conservation at ANAC, and representatives from
In May 2025, the MIHARI Network organized a national coordination meeting marked by the official launch of Madagascar’s LMMA Portal. This digital platform aims to centralize data on Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), thus facilitating the monitoring and evaluation of marine management initiatives and enhancing the visibility of community efforts in marine conservation, both at
Blue Ventures and its partners, with support from the Blue Action Fund and Green Climate Fund, are leading efforts to protect and restore the unique biodiversity of the Barren Isles in western Madagascar. This initiative not only safeguards vital marine and coastal ecosystems but also strengthens the socio-ecological resilience of local communities, helping them adapt
During three intense days, staff from Tanzania mainland’s different MPA teams and national level discussed how to stream-line the institutional structure, and harmonise objectives and monitoring at different governance levels and sites. Marine Parks and Reserves Unit-MPRU and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) co-hosted the workshop in Morogoro, Tanzania. SwAM shared
During the recent Regenerative Ocean Week, WIOMSA and IUCN supported by the Blue Nature Alliance, organised a stakeholder workshop on the Legal and Institutional Recognition of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) to address governance challenges that hinder LMMA recognition. For nearly two decades, LMMAs have played a pivotal role
