EI Senior Associate Shawn Peabody co-authored a paper published in the journal Conservation Science and Practice recently. The article brings together more than a decade of research—led by Blue Ventures—on Velondriake, Madagascar’s first locally managed marine area (LMMA). Over the past 15 years, Velondriake has contributed to considerable increases in conservation and fish catches, inspiring other communities across Madagascar’s coasts to replicate the model.      

Unlike other LMMAs, Velondriake pioneered a co-management approach with Blue Ventures, which maintains a permanent field presence in Madagascar to support the endeavor. This close long-term relationship brought many benefits and required a highly nuanced approach to avoid crowding out local management. The paper, “A decade and a half of learning from Madagascar’s first locally managed marine area,” highlights lessons learned from this unique management arrangement. To learn more about Velondriake and the research findings, please review the article and coverage from Blue Ventures.