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Native Freshwater Fish Farms as a Bushmeat Alternative
Continued
P A G E 5
V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2
Improved forest monitoring must be part of any solution since bushmeat traps are actually easily destroyed, but
policing alone does not address the fundamental problem of insufficient meat (a staple of the Malagasy diet) in
many rural forest-bordering communities. Many organizations have therefore attempted to promote sustainable
alternative protein sources, such as poultry or fish. Fortunately, domestic meats are often rated as the tastiest
meats.
In the SAVA region, we are fortunate
to collaborate with one of Madagascar’s
leading native fish experts in Mr. Guy
Tam Hyock. His organization has been
teaching local residents how to build
long-lasting fish ponds and breed locally
endemic freshwater
Paratilapia
spp. or
“fony” for many years. This species is
not only endangered, locally endemic
and considered tasty; it also breeds eas-
ily and eats a variety of readily available
village foods such as rice hulls, worms,
cow blood and dried shrimp. We hope
to expand a sustainable fony fish-farming
program to many villages around Maro-
jejy National Park. The goals of the new
DLC fish-farming initiative therefore are
to provide an alternative protein and
income source (villagers may consume or
sell 75% of the fish in their ponds) while
also reestablishing wild fish populations
in local waters (with 25% of pond-raised
fish). We’ve just finished building and
stocking our first large fish pond which
has generated much local interest, the
most common question being “Will you
help us build a fish pond like yours?” We
will certainly try.
References
Sussman, R.W. and Richard, A.F. (1986). Le-
mur conservation in Madagascar: The status
of lemurs in the South.
Primate Conservation
7: 86 - 92.
Ganzhorn, J.U., Langrand, O., Wright, P.C.,
O'Connor, S., Rakotosamimanana, B., Feist-
ner, A.T.C., and Rumpler, Y. (1996). The state
of lemur conservation in Madagascar.
Pri-
mate Conservation
17: 70 – 86.
S A V A C O N S E R V A T I O N
Guy and his assistant Fidele recently visited villages near Marojejy to discuss
fish farming
.
Demonstration pond recently installed will help to generate local interest in
fish farming
.