Abbie Topping – August 2026
SFACT has recently been supporting early discussions around the potential development of a pole-and-line tuna fishery in Madagascar, alongside important work to strengthen safety at sea for fishing communities.
In January this year, SFACT founder John Burton and Michelle Bellinger from ICV Africa visited Madagascar to assess the potential of developing a pole-and-line fishery. This was followed by a visit from John and experienced South African pole-and-line fishers in July. During his time in Madagascar, John met with local fishers, President Tahiana of the Mahajanga fishing association, and Minister of Fisheries Jean Maharavo, to better understand the opportunities and challenges facing fishing communities.
As part of an initial pilot, fishers from Mahajanga worked alongside the experienced pole-and-line fishers from South Africa, with a vessel heading into Madagascar’s Exclusive Economic Zone to explore where tuna can be found and whether pole-and-line fishing could be successfully introduced locally.
It is still early days, but the aim is to learn from the pilot, build local knowledge and skills, and explore what a future pole-and-line fishery in Madagascar could look like. Initial planning has identified areas to the west and north of Madagascar as potential fishing grounds, with the longer-term ambition of developing a fishery that creates opportunities for Malagasy fishers.
Alongside this, safety at sea remains a key priority. Discussions are underway in Mahajanga on a community rescue boat, capable of assisting local fishing communities with search and rescue, medical evacuation, and cyclone response. The proposed service would support approximately 400 active fishers and 150 small fishing boats and would help to address the lack of immediate emergency assistance currently available in the area.
There is a long way to go, but these early conversations and practical trials are an important step towards exploring locally led, sustainable and safer fishing opportunities in Madagascar.
We look forward to seeing where this work leads.
