Marine Conservation Expedition in Madagascar

Are you passionate about marine conservation and scuba diving or want to learn? Have you always wanted to travel to an extremely culturally rich and remote region of the world and assist with community development work? Then this project could be perfect for you!

Your role as marine conservation volunteer
As a marine conservation volunteer in this unique project you will be immersed in the full breadth of the organisation’s innovative and integrated approaches to marine conservation. Your main responsibility will be to collect marine data on the extensive coral reefs of the Indian Ocean during research dives, but you will also be involved in community related projects in Andavadoaka and surrounding villages.

Activities may include:
- Scuba diving training up to Divemaster level
- Marine science and conservation training provided by field scientists
- Research diving (1-2 times a day, five days a week)
- Marine data collection on coral reefs and other habitats, such as mangroves
- Marine conservation outreach activities at local schools or other community events
- Language exchange sessions with local staff members to build their capacity in the English language and volunteer’s understanding of Malagasy
- Assisting English lessons in local schools
- Overland Tour from the north to the south of Madagascar through some of the most iconic National Parks in Africa with the chance to see lemurs and some other charismatic flora and fauna (tour is optional and takes place before and after each project as a means to get to the meeting point)
Project Goals and how you contribute

The organisation’s camp is located in Andavadoaka at the South West tip of Madagascar, one of the most remote and dry regions of the island. The village is surrounded by a coral reef supporting diverse fish species, which provides a vital source of income and food for local fishermen and the community. Due to a drastic decline in fish stocks, the organisation has established a series of conservation programmes such as the biggest Locally Managed Marine Area in the Indian Ocean to try and counteract this phenomenon. Volunteers contribute to the consistent surveys of the reefs which provide the basis for evaluating current conservation efforts and the development of effective future marine management plans.