Pre-assessment made available

Participants list

Memorandum of Understanding

Workplan available

The CGP scientific team participated in a workshop to share results on the stock assessment of octopus (and other species) organized by the RESOLVE scientific team. The group discussed and explored various stock assessment methods. 

A data collection and sharing agreement was drafted during the stock assessment workshop. Validation and data harmonization workshops will be organized for stakeholders in the coming months.

The FIP has re-analyzed catch data from 2020 since the previous results were not properly presented and were inconclusive. The results of the analysis determined that sea cucumbers were identified as minor secondary species.

The FIP has created a method for measuring compliance based on a series of questions posed to stakeholders which is organized and compiled into scores for each management measure, resulting in an overall score for the LMMA. A workshop will be held in the coming months to present findings from the pilot and determine next steps.

The CGP produced a short outreach film on the regional closure from Dec 15th to Jan 31st which was broadcast on local TV and features the Regional Fisheries Authority Director.

CGP stakeholders have been participating in Ministry of Fisheries regional office-led workshops; the workshops have focused on data collection methods including differentiating octopus species and setting a minimum number of days per week for CPUE monitoring.

A draft data-sharing agreement between CGP and FIP participants has been made available

The CGP has developed a value chain quality improvement project plan; the project will focus on improving the killing methods and handling of octopus and will develop a quality grading system.

The stock assessment for the octopus fishery in Southwest Madagascar has been published. 

The first draft of the stock assessment for the octopus fishery in SW Madagascar has been completed; further revision is underway prior to finalization

Ecological monitoring training session and outreach meeting held for the FIP; awareness materials circulated and made available

The CGP held a regional meeting to discuss the extension of the temporary octopus reserve with officials from the Ministry.

The first meeting of the technical steering committee of CGP was conducted in late 2021; workshop report made available

Technical paper produced describing the methodology for crab population study

Draft of the ToR/Agenda produced for the upcoming TSC meeting in October '21

Ecological monitoring reef reports of Nosy Fasy produced; reports revealed a high coverage of algae and abiotic categories with low hard coral cover and low abundance of octopus species

Brief report summarizing the process of the Velondriake Management Plan

Ecological Monitoring Report was presented 

Final report of the FIP workshop held on December 2020 to put in place a regional steering committee to lead the conception of the Octopus Specific Management Plan for the South-West region

 Draft ToR for Secretary Executive of the CGP platforn published 

Ongoing study underway: identification of the principal and potential prey & predator of the octopus species within its trophic level

The catch composition monitoring program is in place and data continues to be collected on secondary species. 

A Committee for Surveilance & Evaluation training workshop was conducted

Strategic document drafted for the management of migrant fishers in the South-West Region of Madagascar

Study conducted to give an overview of the impact of the octopus fishery on ETP hard coral and VMEs within the UoC.

A workshop with a goal to share and discuss the results of the study within the association management committee has been conducted in order to create a management strategy for migrant fishers.

Data collectors workshop held on the collection of secondary species data

The CGP (COMITE DE GESTION DU POULPE) is officially launched

Five year Management Plan for Velondriake LMMA made available

Velondriake Management Committee has decided to partially close the Nosy Fasy site and has restricted the fishing effort within the zonation based on recent report findings

PI score 2.3.3. increase; The octopus monitoring programme has updated its data frame logbook to include information on ETP species since 2019

PI score 3.2.3 increase; The MCS system has been improved and applied to all of the LMMAs within the UoA. 

The catch composition program is now enshrined in the yearly work plan of the Velondriake Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA), and a trimestriel analysis of the bycatch is put in place by our Monitoring Evaluation & Learning (MEL) team.The first analysis of the octopus bycatch is done, and shows that the fishery does not have any significant impacts that need to be addressed, even for the sea cucumber. 

Increase to PI 3.2.2; a scientific team has been created to support decision-making processes for the implementation of action plan activities. Decision-making exists within the precautionary approach.

Increase to PI 1.1.1; a revised stock assessment was conducted in 2023 using 2021 data. The 2021 data demonstrates that exploitation is happening at a sustainable rate and the stock is maintained at a healthy level. The CGP also conducted a stock assessment for 2022 and the results yielded similar findings with fishing mortality below natural mortality levels. 

Increase to PI 2.5.1;  the impact to the trophic functioning of benthic ecosystems including the status of eels, reef flat crabs and coral is low.

PI score increase 2.3.1; An ecological monitoring programme has been put in place giving the FIP access to assess the effect of the octopus fishery on hard corals.

PI score 2.2.1 increase; main secondary species are highly likely to be above biologically based limits.