Twenty-five experts from around Madagascar, including scientists from WCS, representatives of Government, researchers, and NGO partners met during a national working session for the conservation and sustainable management of sharks and rays in Madagascar,
on September 7, 2017. The objective of the meeting, which was financed by the Global Partnership for Sharks and Rays, was to identify priority actions in relation with sharks and rays and the issues on their conservation and to discuss how different actors in Madagascar
can better coordinate their efforts.
Participants discussed a range of issues concerning the protection of these species such as the low awareness of laws relating to the exploitation of sharks and rays, the threats to sharks and rays from small-scale and industrial fishing and the urgent need to collect additional data on shark and ray ecology and catches.
The meeting was also marked by the creation of a national working group for the conservation and sustainable management of sharks and rays. This working group, which includes the participants in the working session as well as representatives of fishers groups, will work over the next few months to develop a national roadmap for shark and ray conservation and sustainable management.
We would like to thank the Global Partnership for Sharks and Rays for their support of shark and ray conservation activities in Madagascar and the Western Indian Ocean, and stay tuned for updates from the next meeting of the national working group.