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A maritime atlas for sustainable reef management in Northern Madagascar

Posted on 3 March 2020

The Diana region now has an updated marine atlas, approved by the Ministries in charge of fisheries and spatial planning.

A maritime atlas is a set of maps focusing on marine areas including the coastline and the sea. It contributes and supports all policy decisions related to the management of coasts, shorelines, coral reefs and other marine spaces.

For the Diana region, with a marine area of 307,000 Km2 and a 450 km coastline, this regional initiative is highly appreciated by the actors in the region, including WWF, and has received their full support. Indeed, at the global level, the coral reefs of northern Madagascar are among the most resilient coral reefs in the world (according to a recent global scientific analysis facilitated by WWF, with our country being one of the 7 nations with a potential to regenerate 70% of the world's reefs).

This Marine Atlas provides accurate data that strengthens the scientific basis for supporting the conservation and resilience of Madagascar's coral reefs in the face of climate change. It will also be used to support sustainable governance of the Diana region, for socio-economic development and the well-being of the populations.
For Mihary Raparivo from WWF, "in this era moving towards the blue economy, having a maritime atlas is essential. It provides the knowledge base needed to help ensure the sustainability and security of protected areas and communities that depend almost exclusively on marine resources."

The marine atlas provides a large-scale perspective to decision-makers and a key tool to ensure simultaneously the preservation of marine biodiversity, sustainable economic development and the resilience of coastal communities.