Fishing in Madagascar

Being the fourth-largest island in the world, Madagascar is 226 660 square miles (587 040 square km.) in size, with a population of just under 32 000 000. This places it between California and Texas in size, with a population size similar to that of Texas. Madagascar lies in the Indian Ocean some 400 km (250 mi) west of mainland Africa (Mozambique). Geographically, the island is moist in the east, otherwise arid, with mountains in the north central and down the east coast. It has a hot rainy season from November to April with the rest of the year being cooler and mostly dry. Most people speak Malagasy, the local language, and in government and tourism circles French is often used. About 85 % of the population identify as Christian while under 5% are Muslim. Madagascar is a relatively little known, but very interesting and potentially productive, sport fishing destination.

Fishing has long been important to the people and economy of Madagascar and most of the easily accessed fish resources are under heavy utilisation pressure. Local fisheries are often poorly managed, and stocks depleted, particularly in freshwater and nearshore areas. It is estimated that “illegal and harmful fishing” accounts for about half the annual catch which makes up about 7% of the GDP. Despite this, Madagascar is an important and increasingly popular destination for marine sport anglers. On Madagascar there are many rivers, typically smallish, some lakes and many coastal lagoons, but freshwater recreational fishing opportunities are limited. Most sport fishing takes place offshore or nearshore, and is carried out from charter boats, that are found in large numbers and diversity in and around most harbours. Shore fishing can be productive and exciting, but only in remote areas where stocks have not yet been fully exploited.

Top sport fish species targeted from Madagascar incorporate all the “usual suspects” of the Indian Ocean. These include billfish such as sailfish, black, blue and striped marlin plus swordfish. Several pelagic species are present in the waters around Madagascar throughout much of the year, including king mackerel, mahi-mahi, wahoo, and a number of tunas. Yellowfin tuna is the most popular, prized for its fighting ability, speed and potential size. Dogtooth tuna are also present and with this species Madagascar offers excellent opportunities to test angling prowess against a powerful and wily opponent. Nearshore, the coastal areas of Madagascar are home to several trevally species, including the iconic GT (giant trevally), as well as bluefin and other trevallies. In many areas there are a wide variety of groupers, from the massive giant grouper down to the more common, smaller species. Freshwater species include the introduced European carp and many indigenous tilapia species.

In Madagascar, recreational shore fishing is limited due to heavy local fishing pressure. The country, however, offers many excellent offshore opportunities for the well-resourced and discerning sport angler. The tackle used depends on the angler’s preferences and the target fish. For the billfish, a slightly larger boat is useful, and most fishing is carried out be trolling with a lesser amount of live bait fishing. Tuna, wahoo, mahe mahe and other pelagic fish are mostly caught trolling or drifting using lures or baits. A wide selection of “bottom-loving” fish, such as groupers, are targeted either anchored or drifting using jigs, lures or live or dead baits.