The traditional shark fisheries of southwest Madagascar: A study in the Toliara region

Traditional shark fisheries in Africa are largely poorly documented. Fisheries management plans for fisheries targeting chondrichthyan species are typically based on studies with limited spatial resolution or detail, compromising their efficacy and potentially reducing the effectiveness of national and regional plans. Southwest Madagascar is an area poorly documented with regard to many of its marine resources. This study presents a detailed investigation of the directed shark fisheries of two villages south of Toliara – Soalara and Maromena – presenting a description of the fishery in these villages and catch data for periods of 13 and 10 months, respectively. Results from a total of 1164 catch records, including members of at least 13 species, with an estimated total wet weight of over 123 mt are reported, with hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna spp.) representing 29% of sharks caught and 24% of the total wet weight. There is an active export market for the fins resulting from the fisheries, indicating a considerable social and economic importance in this impoverished region of Madagascar. The fisheries are showing signs of decline, possibly as a result of changing to less selective fishing gear, as a result of the intervention from outside agencies.