MALDIVIAN
FISHERIES
The Maldives is renowned as a tuna fishing nation, with Maldivian people historically rarely consuming reef fish. However, the rapid tourism development over the past 50 years has significantly increased the demand for coral reef fisheries resources. Unfortunately, there is limited data available on the sector's impact on marine ecosystems, largely due to inadequate reef fishery management capacities at the national level. Maldives Resilient Reefs (MRR) and Blue Marine Foundation have identified the fishing of coral reef fish to meet the demands of the tourism industry as one of the biggest threats to Maldivian coral reefs (learn more in their Masmahaaveshi module here).
The Maldives also exports some of its reef resources to other countries. Sea cucumbers and groupers, an important group of coral reef fish, are exported to Hong Kong and Taiwan where they are highly valued for their taste while beautiful reef fish are exported to Europe and America where they are traded as pets for aquarium tanks.
Improving management of reef resources within the Maldives is crucial for the preservation of Maldivian coral reefs. Without healthy fish populations these reefs will lose their resilience to future climatic events as well as their capacity to support the people and economies who depend on them.
CREATING LOCAL
SUSTAINABLE MARKETS
In response, MRR and Blue Marine launched the “Laamaseelu Masveriyaa” programme, meaning "exemplary fisher," at Six Senses Laamu in 2020. This sustainable resort reef fishery programme operates under a code of conduct that requires local fishers to use sustainable fishing gear and target only resilient, mature species while avoiding protected and ecologically sensitive areas. In return, the resort commits to providing local fishers with a stable market for sustainably caught seafood at competitive prices. This programme not only benefits marine ecosystems but also empowers local fishers and improves their access to the seafood market of the resort.
As of December 2024, 45 fishers have signed up to the responsible fisher code of conduct during their fishing activities and to report their catch according to standardized reporting guidelines (all fishers complete the MMR Masmahaaveshi module designed for the program, which can be found here). In 2024 alone, local fishers landed over 6,500 fish and lobsters at Six Senses Laamu, all while avoiding the capture of nationally or voluntarily protected species. These seafood sales totalled over 13,000 kg, contributing USD 33,440 to the local economy.
It is crucial for resorts and guesthouses in the Maldives to establish a sustainable market for reef fish. Tourism operators must collaborate with local fishermen to promote low-impact fishing practices and secure a sustainable future for both the Maldives and their businesses. Six Senses Laamu has set an example for the Maldivian tourism industry by piloting this transformative programme. The Laamaseelu Masveriyaa programme is now successfully running at one additional resort, with several others expressing interest in adopting this sustainable model.
IMPROVING GROUPER
FISHERY MANAGEMENT
Between 2016 and 2018, Blue Marine and Six Senses Laamu also conducted a grouper fishery management and conservation project to aid the Maldivian government in managing the commercial export of grouper fish. Groupers, which are predatory fish essential to maintaining coral reef ecosystems, not only attract divers but are also highly sought after as a popular food fish in Asia. Many fishermen in the Maldives target groupers for export to markets in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Groupers exhibit a unique reproductive strategy, gathering in large numbers—sometimes hundreds or thousands—to breed in what are known as spawning aggregations (learn more in the Masmahaaveshi module here). Unfortunately, these aggregations are predictable making groupers easy targets for fishers. To secure the protection of these vital areas, Blue Marine interviewed over 100 fishermen on Laamu Atoll and conducted dive surveys to identify spawning aggregation sites. Nine areas of aggregation were identified, one of which has been scientifically validated and is planned for protection under the Hithadhoo Community Conserved Area project.
The project also aimed to determine the size at maturity for highly targeted grouper species. Alarmingly, 90% of the most sought-after species in the Maldives are fished before reaching their maturity sizes. In response, MRR and Blue Marine recommended catch size limits for groupers to the Maldivian government; these limits are now enshrined in legislation for two of the commercially significant species.
ABOUT
MALDIVES RESILIENT REEFS (MRR)
Maldives Resilient Reefs is an NGO dedicated to restoring Maldivian coral reefs as climate resilient ecosystems for the benefit of nature, people and the economies that depend on them.
MRR’s vision is an island nation that has fully protected 30 per cent of its waters from all fishing and is sustainably managing the other 70 per cent.
ABOUT
BLUE MARINE FOUNDATION
Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) is a charity dedicated to restoring the ocean to health by addressing overfishing, one of the world’s biggest environmental problems. Their vision is a healthy ocean forever, for everyone.
BLUE’s vision for the Maldives is an environmentally and economically sustainable island nation, resilient to climate change, productive for fishermen and attractive to tourists. BLUE’s model aims to demonstrate that effective conservation in the interests of all is possible in Maldives with the support of multiple stakeholders: Private sector, government, NGOs and the local community.
