The Minister of Fisheries and the Blue Economy of Madagascar, Paubert Mahatante, announced on Monday the suspension of sea cucumber fishing in the northern part of the country.
During a press conference held in Antananarivo, the Malagasy Minister of Fisheries and the Blue Economy announced the ban on sea cucumber fishing in the northern part of Madagascar. This measure concerns notably the regions of Boeny, Sofia, Diana, and Sava.
« Their presence in our waters is becoming increasingly rare. »
The depletion of sea cucumber stocks in this area is one of the reasons cited to justify this decision. Paubert Mahatante stated that their presence in Malagasy waters is becoming increasingly rare. The suspension of collection permits concerns wild sea cucumbers.
An overexploitation situation
According to official data, Madagascar exported 384 tons of sea cucumber in 2012, compared to only 196 tons the following year. This decline reflects « overexploitation and a decrease in available resources, » according to the ministry. The goal is to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, as it results in a loss of 14 to 16 million dollars for the country, as noted by the website 2424.mg.
