Ranobe Bay community reef restoration project

The aim of our project is to strengthen the management of Ranobe bays MPA in South-West of Madagascar and to duplicate the ecotourism model for coral restoration (best practice sheet on https://www.commissionoceanindien.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Restauration-recifale-participative-.pdf) developed by our organization at 3 others villages, in addition to our 2 pilot sites.

The reef complexes in Ranobe bays MPA were renowned for their abundance of fishery resources, the diversity of marine ecosystems along the coastline and their key role in tourism activities.

Faced with the decline of marine ecosystems in Madagascar, this project focuses on the direct involvement of local communities, volunteer scientists, tourists and schoolchildren in reef restoration activities by transplanting naturally detached corals, or transplanting old cuttings nursery. The maintenance and monitoring of mortality and bleaching of transplanted cuttings are carried out by organization's expert teams.

With this award, 760 volunteer scientists are involved in coral restoration (14,800 cuttings transplanted) on 100 spider-shaped, 20 table-shaped, 5 pirogue-shaped, 5 plane-shaped and 5 lobster-shaped devices. The practice takes place either on the beach (at a depth of 1 m during low spring tide, so as not to kill the coral cuttings), or at sea aboard a canoe on site restored.  So, everyone could take part, even people with reduced mobility.

A meeting with villagers will be held to present the results of the involvement trials in 2 pilot villages in Ranobe Bay.

Thanks to the restoration, these sites will become ecotourism destinations, enabling local populations to increase their income through visits to restored sites, the sale of Malagasy handicrafts by fishermen's wives, tourist guidance and transport services (canoe rental, village visits, etc.).