Andavadoaka

Andavadoaka is a small fishing village located on the southwest coast of Madagascar. It is located in the Morombe division of Toliara Province, 45 km south of the town of Morombe [http://www.blueventures.org/expeditions_andavadoaka.htm] . The village lies on the edge of a shallow lagoon protected from the open ocean by a series of fringing and submerged barrier reefs that support substantial coral growth, providing a vital resource base for local traditional and artisanal fisheries. Owing to the remoteness and isolation, these coral reefs are thought to possess a significantly different and higher abundance and diversity of species than other reefs in Madagascar. Andavadoaka is also home to the Vezo fishing people, who are known for their dependence upon the ocean.

Blue Ventures has a project in Andavodoaka, aiming to improve the community. Biodiversity studies have found many hundreds of marine species in the waters in the area. These unique areas represent some of the most well developed coral reef systems in the Indian Ocean.

Maps

[http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=andavadoaka,+madagascar&ie=UTF8&ll=-22.067505,43.242531&spn=0.139995,0.346069&t=k&om=1 Satellite image] , zoomable to discern individual buildings.

Location of [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=andavadoaka,+madagascar&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=-22.076168,43.234758&spn=0.002187,0.005407 Blue Ventures] in Andavadoaka.

Links

* [http://www.blueventures.org Blue Ventures] - award winning not-for-profit organisation dedicated to facilitating projects and expeditions that enhance global marine conservation and research, based in Andavadoaka.
* [http://www.andavadoaka.org Andavadoaka.org] - conservation, ecology, education, ecotourism and dive information for Andavadoaka.