Inventory of our Marine Bio-diversity.

With several hundred species of fish noted, the north east coast certainly merits specific consideration as a protected zone. The Express writes, ?In the very near future, the results of the recently conducted marine bio-diversity inventory of the north east coast will be published. This survey was conducted by International Conservation with the participation of local environmental protection groups. This was not a government funded project. Regrouped under the banner of PER, Rapid Evaluation Program, this work was conducted with the intention of surveying the state of the existing coral reefs and the marine bio-diversity which inhabits them on the north east coast of our island and with the stated intention of establishing protected zones. Their works permits us to understand the enormous importance and potential existing within these natural resources. The study also seeks to comprehend our deeper offshore bio-diversity. These are follow-ups to the work conducted between the 10-24 March of 2002 between Cap d?Ambre and Vohémar which identified 411 species, or an average of 65 to 195 unique species at each site. Commercial viability was also established for 70 species. The coral is still in excellent state of health which maintains the uniqueness of the area. One might say these sites offer somewhat less when compared with the surveys done on the north west coast which averaged around 80 species for each site. This excellent work bodes well for Madagascar as a tourist destination if protected zones are established now.