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Official Opening of Rose Garden Marine Protected Area June 07
Oct 30, 2008
As of June 2007 the ‘Rose Garden’ a small patch reef and its associated seagrass bed covering an area of 200m x 200m within the lagoon reef system of the Bay of Ranobe was given official protected status by the regional government of Toliara, the Ministry of Fisheries of Toliara, the Ministry of regional development (DRDR) and all the 11 Fokotanys (village heads) of all the villages in the Bay of Ranobe under the new fishermens association FIMIHARA (FIkambanana MIaro sy HAnasoa ny RAnomasina - Association to protect and enhance the marine environment).
The creation of this first marine protected area in the Bay and Toliara region was spear headed by the fishermens association FIMIHARA alongside the direction of ReefDoctor, the IHSM (Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines) and SAGE (Service d’Appui à la Gestion de l’Environnement).
FIMIHARA and the Fokotanys of Ifaty and Mangily will head the protection and alongside ReefDoctor and the IHSM, the management and monitoring of this First protected area.
The opening was marked by an official meeting held at the University of Toliara research station (the main base of ReefDoctor next to the village of Ifaty) with attendance of the head of DRDR Dr. Edaly, representatives of SAGE and the FIMIHARA board representing all 11 Fokotanys in the Bay and the men and women of the villages of Ifaty and Mangily whom will be most responsible for adhering to the rules and regulations of the protection of this patch reef.
With the support of the local authorities and the ORTO (Association of Tourism for Toliara Province) the Rose Garden will be a marine park whereby tourists whom wish to visit the reef for snorkelling or diving purposes will have to pay an entry fee of 2000MGA or 1.5Euros per person. This money collected, through the sales of tickets from hotels, by FIMIHARA members will be put towards community development projects being developed by ReefDoctor and FIMIHARA for the benefits of firstly the villages of Ifaty and Mangily and also for other projects with the other 10 villages in the Bay of Ranobe. Though expected financial generation through this marine park will be limited due to its size and seasonal visits of tourists, it will set precedence to other villages in the Bay of the need to protect their reefs and show how benefits can be generated through such reef protection schemes over a very short period of time.
To aid the protection of the Rose Garden, FIMIHARA through ticket revenues and starting donation by ReefDoctor, has hired a guardian to be present on the site daily to collect tickets and also ensure fishermen do not fish there and no anchoring of any boat or pirogue. As the area is a no anchor area 6 mooring buoys have been put into place by FIMIHARA members and western dive club operators, Richard Paper of grand Blu and Jean-Pierre of Mangily Hotel with the financial contribution for this coming from Mr. Paper and Reefdoctor.
The area has also been marked out by 4 buoys kindly donated to FIMIHARA by the company Trajectoire the main mechanical repair and sales business in Toliara and FIMIHARA kindly thanks Mr. Bernard the manager of Trajectoire for this kind donation.
Under the collaboration and guidance of the ORTO with FIMIHARA and ReefDoctor posters and leaflets explaining the purpose, rules and regulations of the park where given to all hotels in the Ranobe area and all Hoteliers have agreed to collaborate with FIMIHARA in the protection and good governance of the park the first such agreement between westerners and local communities in the Ranobe Bay area.
