Coastal resources are being rapidly depleted and there are relatively few marine management systems in place.

Coastal communities are amongst the most isolated and marginalised on the island, and around 500,000 people rely on fisheries for their livelihood. These fisheries are under increasing pressure from a growing coastal population and commercial fishing activities, the use of unsustainable fishing practices, insufficient fisheries governance, and the impacts of the climate crisis.

Both fisheries and forests continue to be crucial sectors in Madagascar’s economy on a commercial scale, yet these resources require sensitive management to ensure they can be harvested sustainably for the future. Due to a lack of livelihood alternatives and effective governance of natural resources, the country’s roughly 300,000 hectares of mangroves are being unsustainably reaped by local communities for fuel, food and construction material, putting people at further risk from sea level rise and extreme weather.

Madagascar’s fisheries have traditionally been open access, but across the island fishers are reporting a decline in catch compared to when they were children, heading out on the small boats with their parents.

When I was a little girl growing up in the capital city of Antananarivo, my dream was to become a lawyer, so that I could defend people. Unfortunately, this dream was quickly scuppered, as I failed the law entrance exam and university. Disappointed, I opted to study geography instead. However, I am now the lawyer of the fishing communities of Madagascar. I defend their rights, nationally and internationally.