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(...) Exports currently go to markets in Mauritius, Switzerland and France. Most of the products exported are certified organic or bear the "fair trade" label. Honey production will also depend on the Government's ability to protect forests, the feeding source for bees.

With an abundance of plants for honey bees, with typically exotic aromas, the bee keeping subsector plays an important role in Madagascar's economy. In addition to the income it provides for small producers, it makes a key contribution to protecting the environment against mass deforestation and bush fires. Madagascar had long exported honey to Europe, but export was suspended in the 1980s because the honey did not meet SPS standards.

According to recent studies, confirmed by the statistics available (Chart 4.5), total catches are in fact 40% above the volumes recorded officially , and in general the Ministry of Fisheries Resources and Fishing (MRHP) only appears to exert control over fishing in Madagascar's waters in theory.

Table 4.5 Aquaculture and fisheries legislation
(...)
Aquaculture
Law No. 2001.020.0.20 of 12.12.2001 Development of responsible and sustainable shrimp farming

Fisheries
Decree No. 2004.169 of 03.02.2004 Regulating fishing for holothuria scabra
Order No. 060.2005 of 17.01.2005 Regulating fishing for octopus
Order No. 16825/2008 of 28.08.2008 Ban on transporting crayfish of the species procamburus throughout the territory of the Republic of Madagascar
Order No. 32.101/14 of 24.10.2014 Regulating the exploitation of Madagascar's mangrove crabs

On the other hand, crab exports increased substantially, particularly to China, raising concerns within the Government as to the sustainability of this activity. Since 2014, exploitation of mangrove crabs has been subject to new regulations limiting total annual catches to 5,000 tonnes and the total volume exported to 4,250 tonnes. (...)

With the exception of the fishing restrictions indicated above, the authorities have no policy on maximum catches per species; the measures appear to be decided on an ad hoc basis when stocks are running out and closed seasons may be announced to protect stocks (octopus, spiny lobster, shrimps). Deep sea fishing in Madagascar's waters, in particular, is not subject to maximum tonnages for catches. It is in principle governed by protocols of agreement. Such agreements have been signed with the European Union, Japan and with foreign private companies. The agreements are not available on an official website and it proved impossible to obtain them.

The 2007 fisheries agreement with the European Union was renewed for the period 2013 2014, and then for the period 2015 2018. In addition to tuna, for which the terms of the agreement do not stipulate any limits on catches, there is a maximum annual volume of 250 tonnes of sharks under the agreement. The agreement also specifies the maximum number of fishing vessels, namely, 40 freezer tuna seiners and 54 surface longliners for the period 2015 2018.

Another of the Government's declared priorities is to improve operation of the institutions. Currently, around half a dozen institutions are responsible for defending the subsector's interests, although none of them has sufficient resources to achieve its objectives. These include the Malagasy Fisheries and Aquaculture Agency, created in June 2005, which is responsible for collecting fees and for financing, monitoring and evaluating the programmes of Malagasy public institutions, research institutions and organizations working towards sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture. Further support structures include the Fisheries Monitoring Centre, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Economic Observatory, the Aquaculture Development Centre, the Fisheries Research and Development Centre and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Unit. It would appear that there is considerable leeway for streamlining these entities.

Madagascar's forests harbour exceptional fauna and flora and are one of the main pillars of eco tourism, exploitation of timber and fauna, and the country's pharmacopeia. Forest cover decreased from 9.7 million hectares in 2000 to 9.2 million in 2010, partly because of unauthorized felling and illegal export of protected tropical woods such as rosewood and palisander. Despite reforestation efforts, total forest cover is shrinking. According to the FAO, forests still cover some 22% of Madagascar's territory. Around 24% of the forested area was classified as "primary" forest in 2015.

According to official statistics, the forestry sector accounts for 5% of GNP and 17% of the primary sector. Aromatic and medicinal plant products, CITES species and non CITES plant species account for most exports in the sector. The issuance of operating permits for wood products by single tender has been suspended since 2000. Operations are gradually resuming with the introduction of a bidding system for the award of permits. Work is also under way to combat illegal trafficking in precious woods.