63 regulated fishing nets distributed to local fishermen. This initiative is part of the protection of the endemic species "Damba Menarambo" (Paretroplus menarambo), a native fish threatened by unsustainable fishing methods.
This initiative is part of the protection of the endemic species "Damba Menarambo" (Paretroplus menarambo), a native fish threatened by unsustainable fishing methods.
The distribution of the nets, which took place in the presence of local authorities such as the mayor of Tsaratanana I, the Fishing and Blue Economy Division (CIRPEB) of Port-Bergé, and the Environment and Forest Department (CEF) of Port-Bergé, is an essential step towards regularizing fishing practices around the lake. The 63 distributed nets were specially designed to replace illegal nets used by local fishermen, ensuring compliance with fishing resource protection standards.
The beneficiaries, from local fishermen’s cooperatives, have committed not only to using these regulated nets but also to monitoring their use. By comparing the fishing yields from these new nets with those they used previously, they will help assess the impact of this measure on the conservation of the lake's resources and the sustainability of their practices.
A look back at a successful experiment
This distribution builds on an experimental phase carried out in July, October, and December 2023, during which twenty local fishermen tested the regulated nets. The goal of this experiment was to evaluate the productivity and selectivity of nets that meet the required standards, and the results demonstrated their effectiveness.
During this pilot phase, two individuals of the "Damba Menarambo" species were caught, revealing that the illegal nets used in some areas of the lake posed a direct threat to this endemic species. This finding reinforced the need to adopt regulated nets to preserve both the species and the lake’s fragile ecosystem.
This conservation initiative, which includes both the experimentation and the distribution of nets, has been made possible with financial support from the Darwin Initiative and Stiftung Artenschutz, and through partnerships with the Wildfowl & Wetland Trust (WWT), the Regional Directorate of Fisheries and Blue Economy (DRPEB SOFIA), the Regional Directorate of Environment and Sustainable Development (DREDD SOFIA), and the fishermen’s cooperatives of Lake Tseny.
By regularizing fishing practices and actively involving local communities, this project contributes to the protection of the "Damba Menarambo" while supporting fishermen in adopting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.
