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Independent Research

Since 2003, visiting scientists and students from around the world have been visiting Blue Ventures’ field site in Andavadoaka, southwest Madagascar, to work on independent research projects and dissertations. In addition to our Madagascar research site we have a project in Northern Belize, where independant researchers are similarly welcome. 

Visiting scientists and students can research a wide range of conservation and ecological projects based at our field sites in Madagascar and Belize. Volunteers who join Blue Ventures’ six-week conservation expeditions may also be able to use their time on expedition to earn credit toward their university courses.

Past research projects have covered such diverse issues as ecological monitoring of coral reefs and feasibility studies for tourism development in the region. A list of previous project titles is available here.

Blue Ventures does not offer funding for independent research projects, but we can host students and researchers and our field staff are able to provide supervision and guidance to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Our Independent Research Package offers project guidance and supervision, food and accommodation, site transfers, pastoral care whilst in the field and comprehensive health and safety provision for students and researchers. 

The Independent Research Package prices are £27.50 per day for food and accommodation at our field sites and a £95 bench fee for supervision and advice. Boat use, SCUBA Diving and local guides can all be arranged at additional cost, please contact the Blue Ventures office for further information.

We suggest that undergraduate students choose a project that can utilise archived databases and is not dependent on new data collection due to the difficult logistics and time constraints of this remote region.

Project ideas must support and contribute to the overall conservation goals of Blue Ventures. Please see below for current project proposals - we welcome other project ideas and suggestions.

For further information on any of these projects, or queries regarding other research opportunities, please contact us.

If you are interested in undertaking a research project with Blue Ventures please:


Blue Ventures currently has a number of project proposals:
1 Assessing the status of methods for detecting mangrove degradation through geospatial analysis
2 Sustainable harvest of mangroves in Madagascar
3 Measuring the impacts of mangrove REDD+ activities on biodiversity in the Tsiribihina Delta, Madagascar
4 Assessing the status of methods for modelling future deforestation scenario
5 Analysis of the agents, drivers and underlying causes of mangrove deforestation in Madagascar’s NW
6 Mangrove forest regeneration after harvesting and the associated changes in carbon stocks
7 Deciphering the dynamics of fish recruitment on reefs in Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve (BELIZE)
8 Measuring the impacts of mangrove REDD+ activities on biodiversity in NW Madagascar
9 Study on status and trends of octopus fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean
10 Effectiveness of community-based marine aquaculture in Western Indian Ocean: what can be learned from past and present, successes and failures in order to further development
11 Analysis of the agents, drivers and underlying causes of mangrove deforestation in the Tsiribihina Delta
12 Changes in mangrove carbon stocks associated with natural die-off
13 Assessing the feasibility of a mangrove REDD+ project in Northern Belize
14 Study of national octopus fishery status and trends in Madagascar
15 A study of local farmer income over the course of the aquaculture programme since 2007
16 Multi-criteria analysis for the definition of REDD+ project leakage belt
17 Value chain analysis of charcoal production in Madagascar’s NW coast
18 Understanding population dynamics in relation to the effectiveness of management for protected areas
19 Alternative fuel-wood plantations to prevent leakage of mangrove REDD+ activities
20 Using remote sensing to assess the design of Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve at the seascape level (BELIZE)
21 Migration of inland peoples to coastal environments in the Mikea forest
22 Analysis of growth rates of hatchery-reared holothurians (Holothuria scabra) in community-managed aquaculture farms
23 Analysis of urban charcoal markets in Madagascar’s NW coast.
24 Describing community structure of reef fish within seagrass, mangrove and reef habitats: using ecological data to evaluate management effectiveness of Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve (BELIZE)
25 Comprehensive assessment of the seagrass meadows of the Velondriake LMMA and their value for blue carbon projects
26 Measuring the impacts of mangrove REDD+ activities on biodiversity in Velondriake, Madagascar
27 Analysis of the drivers, evolution and impacts of the demographic pressure on the Barren Isles ecosystems
28 Identifying and deriving spatial surrogates for the primary drivers of mangrove deforestation
29 Madagascar as a case of study for red seaweed farming implementation in the WIO
30 The effects of short-term spatial-temporal closures of mangrove areas on fish populations
31 The effects of temporary mangrove fisheries closures on abundance and size distribution in populations of the mud crab Scylla serrata
32 Home range size and site fidelity of mud crabs Scylla serrata in the Menabe region, Madagascar
33 (Maintirano, Madagascar) Feasibility study of sea cucumber/seaweed farming
34 (Maintirano, Madagascar) The assessment of the sea cucumber fishery of the Barren Isles using Participatory Fisheries Stock Assessment (PARfish) methods
35 (Maintirano, Madagascar) An inventory of the bird species on the Barren Isles, West Madagascar
36 (Madagascar) The analysis of historic and present day agents, drivers and underlying causes of mangrove degradation and deforestation in Madagascar at the national, regional and local level
37 (Madagascar) The analysis of historic and present day mangrove sets in Madagascar at the national, regional and local level
38 (Madagascar) Can community-based data collectors play an important role in eliminating the data deficiency in artisanal and traditional fisheries in Madagascar?
39 (Madagascar) The potential ecological and fisheries impacts of beach seine net fishing in SW Madagascar
40 (Madagascar) Testing the “depth refuge hypothesis” for Octopus cyanea
41 Past Thesis Titles