Madagascar - NOSYnakà (Sahamalaza, Nosy Hara, Nosy Tanikely, Lokobe, Ambodivahibe, Ankarea, Ankivonjy)

The northern part of Madagascar is home to a unique mix of marine habitats due to their variable physical and oceanographic characteristics from east to west. The site covers the continental shoreline at the edge of the shelf, encompassing many types of bays and islands. To the east, the narrow, steep continental shelf translates into deep, narrow bays with canyons leading to deep water, where there are strong upwelling such as Ambodivahibe bays. To the west, a shallow broad band crisscrosses the coast with a fossil reef at its end, currently at a depth of 70 m, housing large berry systems such as Sahamalaza. On both sides, the bays contain mixed habitats of coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses, like Nosy Hara where these different types of ecosystems meet. Off the west coast is the shallow submerged Castor Bank, with the edge of the bank at 30-50 m and shallower depths of 10 m.