George 'Bic' Manahira
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Dive Manager & Coral Reef Monitoring Co-ordinator Andavadoaka, Madagascar Bic was the first member of Blue Ventures' Malagasy staff to gain his PADI Divemaster qualification and in 2009 became Madagascar's first PADI SCUBA Instructor |
Mpikaroka Andriake / Scientifique marin
Bic works as the Blue Ventures Dive Manager, and as well as supervising the dive training of volunteers he also teaches staff and volunteers to speak Malagasy. His primary responsibility lies in coordinating Blue Ventures’ coral reef monitoring strategy, and he is also involved in expanding the fin fishery monitoring efforts as part of the regional marine protected area (MPA) fisheries research programme.
Alongside his research duties Bic is in charge of the environmental club run for the local children in Andavdoaka, Club AloAlo. This club aims to increase environmental awareness and education through regular classroom sessions and the production of shows and plays featuring songs about marine issues. Club AloAlo has recently produced a play about MPAs which is touring the villages of the Velondriake region. This features original songs written and performed by Bic and James.
“I have worked with Blue Ventures from 2003 until now. Before I worked with BV I didn’t know much about conservation but now I do and I get my future here: I’m the first Dive Instructor here in Madagascar and I teach in my third language because I learned it from the volunteers here.”
Click here to contact Bic.
