Author: Ethan Getz, Marine Science Manager
January 2018

Over the past few months, the marine conservation staff have worked to continue long-term reef monitoring projects while developing new methods to measure the health of our home reef and the surrounding reefs on Nosy Komba. Robust datasets have been collected from reef transect surveys, turtle watch, and nudibranch surveys. These long-term surveys will provide valuable information on the health of our MPA and some of the indicator species that inhabit it. In the coming months, efforts will be made to analyze these data in depth to decipher developing trends. While long-term data collection from existing surveys remains the primary goal, staff have also recently developed new reef survey methods.

Baseline surveys using the Spirit of Malala were developed in November to assess the health of reefs all around Nosy Komba. To date, three baseline surveys have been conducted (at xmas tree hotel, greenhouse and pyramids) and data have now been analyzed. Results suggest that the south and west sides of Nosy Komba have healthy coral reefs while reefs are more sparse on the eastern side. Results from the sessile surveys indicate that no coral bleaching is currently happening and that the reef appears to be in a period of recovery. The presence of rock, sand and silt indicate that there have been damaging events in the past, but currently the reefs are rebuilding.

Active swimmer surveys were used to determine the number of fish species at each site and which functional group they belong to (i.e. piscivores, herbivores, ect.). Results suggest that there is a good distribution of fish from each functional group on each reef, but the relatively low abundance of piscivores indicates that overfishing may be a problem on Nosy Komba.

These species are generally the first ones to be fished out and their relatively low numbers point to fishing pressure in the area. Benthic surveys also provided data on invertebrate diversity around Nosy Komba and suggest that there is a healthy reef community.

In addition to baseline surveys, artificial reef surveys on the pyramids at Stonehenge and Madhatter have produced meaningful data. On average, each pyramid provides habitat for 115 fish, 39 bivalves and a variety of sessile species. In addition, many species of fish such as the Malabar snapper and red emperor snapper are routinely found on the artificial structures, but only occasionally on the natural reef. The high abundance of juvenile fish on the pyramids is also an encouraging sign that the structures are acting as a nursery for fish larvae settling out of the water column. Overall, the pyramids seem to be increasing both abundance and diversity of many reef species making them well worth the investment to construct them.

Other ongoing projects include the coral bleaching surveys, invasive species surveys and turtle monitoring. Since coral bleaching and invasive species surveys have only just started, preliminary results will be analyzed in the coming months. Results from active turtle surveys, turtle walks and turtle watch are still being analyzed, but preliminary results suggest that there is a healthy population of resident turtles on our reef. Turtle walks have been less productive with only one hatched nest having been found, but it is clear that at least some turtles nest on Nosy Komba. In summary, the reefs around Nosy Komba appear to be showing the signs of human activities, but overall it is still a healthy reef system with strong community structure.

 

Find out more about our Marine Conservation Program Here

 

On 13th September 2017, MRCI signed a Data Sharing Agreement with Coastal Oceans Research and Development Indian Ocean (CORIO), East Africa for the purposes of reporting about the impact of the 2016 coral bleaching event in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, in order to facilitate the 2017 WIO post-bleaching report.

MRCI have shared their historical coral reef health monitoring data from all of their survey sites to go towards this initiative. The overarching aim is to promote a culture of free and open access to data, which in turn will ensure that the best available data informs research, policy development, decision making and management.

In addition, MRCI, in collaboration with existing partner organisation, Centre Nationale Researche Oceanographique (CNRO) based in Nosy Be, have agreed to also become part of The Coral Reef Task Force, providing information and updates on the health status of the coral reefs in our region.

Look forwards, the MRCI marine program is creating their own coral bleaching survey in accordance with CORDIO’s methodology, and will be working to continue to provide CORDIO with vital coral reef survey data to go towards Indian Ocean Commission’s future research Initiatives.

 

 

Background: Combating Coral Bleaching

The Indian Ocean Commission’s 5-year Biodiversity Program has contributed to ensuring more effective, coherent and collective biodiversity management in line with international and regional agreements and priorities for sustainable development in the island and coastal states of Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean.

In 2016, the Biodiversity project supported an initiative to gather coral bleaching data from across the WIO for the 2016 GCRMN coral status report. In order to get a full picture of the impact of the 2016 bleaching event on the WIO, the Biodiversity project is supporting post-bleaching surveys in six countries in the region under the Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) (Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania).

The action will respond to the call launched by the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) to enhance global efforts to assess the impacts of the 2016 coral reef bleaching event. The Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) was established under the Nairobi Convention to coordinate coral reef activities in the Convention region, and non-beneficiary WIO countries (France, Mozambique, South Africa, Somalia) can participate through this. To improve the effectiveness of this initiative, national datasets will be expanded by incorporating data from partners that have conducted/will conduct their own post-bleaching surveys.

Date: 21st November 2017
MRCI Marine Science Manager: Emma Bagnall

Read More about CORDIO Here

One of our previous forest conservation volunteers conducted some research on the impact the Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute (MRCI) has on social behaviour towards conservation for her university degree.  She asked all volunteers to complete a questionnaire when starting and ending their program.  The questions focused on commitment to the environment and respect for nature.  Overall, she found that volunteers showed more commitment to the environment in terms of water conservation, littering and respect on leaving after their volunteer stay, when compared to arriving.

This shows the impact that organisations such as MRCI have on volunteers, allowing them to experience living a more simple life first hand and seeing the impact of littering and degradation on the environment.  This change of attitude and behaviour towards the environment can have a lasting impact on volunteers and hopefully result in positive, sustainable change in their lives back home.

Along with the conservation work we do on the ground in Madagascar, we aim to promote positive behaviour changes that reach around the world and contribute to a more sustainable future.

We are very grateful to Sandra Ellerkamp for completing this research and allowing us to share a summary, see below:

Impact of MRCI on commitment to the environment

If you would like to find out how you can join one of our conservation programs, contact us or sign up today!

Construction of another artificial reef started a couple of weeks ago with the purchase of cement and donation of porous rocks. These would make up the base structures to which we would attach coral polyps, ready to grow into a self-sustaining reef

Over the course of the week our marine team, led by Roshan, Emma, Antonia and Alex, have worked hard to build over 20 dome structures. In order to do this, they first had to dig a hole in the sand, high up the beach so that only very high tides would potentially fill them in. Each hole was shaped and patted down to create a smooth surface before it could be filled with our cement mixture. This was then patted into the holes to create slightly varied styles of domes. Each dome had to have some arches to allow both water current and sea life to enter and flow through them. Small holes were added throughout the drying domes as another way of allowing some current flow, and also as a necessary part of the structure that would allow us to attach the Polyps.

After allowing the mixture to set overnight, the marine team returned to dig up each dome and move them to a dry zone. Here they were rinsed repeatedly with fresh water. This process helps to ensure the mixture continues to harden without causing any cracks. Seven or eight structures were built each day until the required materials were used up.

On Saturday, 18th March, Francois Gilbert, the General Director of Madagascar’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, joined us here on Nosy Komba, along with over 100 other government officials and guests to participate in attaching the polyps to our concrete domes. Just under 100 polyps, plus an adhesive were provided by Markus (the owner of Marine Aquaculture Nosy Be) to use for this process.

The polyps were already attached to mini concrete circles so the glue was applied to this before being placed on the dome. The coral polyps were spaced approximately 20cm away from each other. Since there were a mixture of hard and soft corals, these needed to be grouped together separately to maximise their growth.

As wells as MRCI staff, volunteers, and guests, a media crew was also on site filming the event and doing interviews. This means that the conservation work and the importance of the MPA and the coral reef for boosting biodiversity and fishing opportunities, will hopefully reach the wider local community. This will help them understand and perhaps aid our work in the future.

Since the event, the marine team has continued to work hard every day, attaching many more polyps to more of the dome structures and transporting them out into deep waters. There are currently 12 completed domes in the deep water, with more being added this week.

The marine staff and volunteers at MRCI will be closely monitoring the artificial reefs over the next few weeks in the hope that they will develop into a fully self-sustaining organism. During this trial period, the marine team will be monitoring indicators of stress, damage and the physical conditions. This is to allow the planting methodology to be adapted and improved, if necessary, to increase the survivability of any subsequent structures that are built and added to the reef system.

A huge thank you to our partners in this project, Marine Aquaculture Nosy Be and CNRO, for involving MRCI and aiding us throughout the building of the artificial reef.

If you would like to find out how you can join our marine conservation program, contact us today!