Governing Distant-Water Fishing within the Blue Economy in Madagascar: Policy Frameworks, Challenges and Pathways

Madagascar’s vast oceanic space hosts distant-water fishing (DWF) fleets from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Spain, France and others since the 1960s, making DWF a substantial component of blue economy. Considering this extensive experience managing activities for more than 60 years, paper explores existing policy frameworks challenges regarding DWF. The results show while it is well equipped legally, country struggling to implement its national policies laws continuing adopt new management frameworks. This due limited coherence on long-term implementation, resulting in mismatch between two, paradoxical vision that promotes without means monitor their impacts. institutional settings governance make change possible approach To improve DWF, outlines four pathways. These include (i) greater attention harmonisation evaluation projects; (ii) efforts transparency operations contract negotiations; (iii) realigning aspirations with local needs; (iv) taking better advantage measures adopted at regional Indian Ocean level An efficient implementation an improved legal framework could contribute strengthening toward sustaining benefits preserving coastal livelihoods.