Sophie currently manages all aspects of the first regional stock assessment for Octopus cyanea in southwest Madagascar including logistics and financial reporting, staff and data management and final report production. She also works with the Field Scientist team on site to ensure data collection and analysis for the coral reef monitoring programme is of a high standard and to facilitate report production.
"The octopus research projects have progressed from strength to strength and represent a truly innovative approach to conservation with impressive and measurable outputs which directly improve the lives of local communities"
Sophie was awarded an honours degree in Zoology from Durham University, UK and then went on to complete her Masters in Conservation at University College London. She joined Blue Ventures as a Science Intern in the London Office in 2006 before her first vist to Madagascar as a Field Scientist in February 2007. She re joined the Madagascar team as Marine Science Coordinator in Andavadoaka in May 2009 after a brief stint working as a coral reef biologist in the Philippines. Sophie has held her current position as Manager of the first regional stock assessment for octopus since August 2010.
Publications within BV
Epps, M., and Benbow, S., 2007. Community attitudes and perceptions of marine and coastal resources and sustainable management in SW Madagascar.
Benbow, S., 2008. Assessment of the migratory flow of Megaptera novaeangliae along the SW coast of Madagascar.
Peabody, S., and Benbow, S., 2010. Velondriake Management Plan: A 5 year management plan for the Velondriake Community-Management Marine Protected Area.
Tucker, B., Tsimitamby, Humber, F.,Benbow, S., and Iida, T., 2010. Foraging for development: A comparison of food insecurity, production, and risk among farmers, forest foragers, and marine foragers in southwestern Madagascar.
Achievements within BV
Sophie was the invited keynote speaker at the Bermuda Youth Conservation conference in 2008, and has successfully worked on a number of important grant proposals. She recently secured funding to extend the octopus stock assessment work for at least one further year and to develop the research into the octopus reproductive cycle in the region.
