Lovasoa Augustave grew up in the coastal city of Toliara in southwest Madagascar. Living among the seafaring Vezo community, Lovasoa became acquainted with the social and environmental changes impacting the ocean, on which their livelihoods depend. This led him to pursue a BSc degree in Coastal and Marine Biodiversity from the Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines in Toliara, Madagascar.
In 2012, Lovasoa received a scholarship and left Madagascar to pursue a Masters degree in Norway. Studying there for five years he received two MScs, in Environmental Offshore Engineering from the University of Stavanger (UiS) and International Fisheries Management from the University of Tromsø (UiT) in 2014 and 2018 respectively.
Lovasoa returned to Madagascar in 2018 to work for Blue Ventures, a UK based marine conservation NGO, as the Fisheries Programme Coordinator for southwest Madagascar, focusing on the female dominated octopus fishery. In this role, Lovasoa has been able to use his educational opportunities to positively impact his community: by supporting small-scale fishers (SSF) in their attempts to sustainably manage their marine resources. Experiencing the grassroots complexity of the fishery, Lovasoa is committed to empower fishermen and women into resource management and the decision making process, and is keen to promote best fishing practices via SSF guidelines and the implementation of a Fisheries Improvement Project.
