Fisheries Ministry Denies Internal Discussions Were Held On Lifting The Ban On Shark Fishery In Maldives

Sometime back, answering Answering a question posed to her by the Members of the Parliament at the Economic Affairs Committee of People’s Majilis, the Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources & Agriculture, Ms. Zaha Waheed stated that discussions were under way to legalize targeted shark fishing and trading in the Maldives 

Today, the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture made a statement clarifying their position regarding the matter following public outrage.  

Accordingly, it is explained that the Minister’s words were said in in relation to internal discussions held pertaining to re-instating longline fishery targeting bigeye tuna whereas the possibility of bycatch of sharks in the longline fishery, including management of this bycatch took place in these discussions. The Ministry stresses that in no way these internal discussions were focused on lifting the shark fishing and trading ban that have been in place for 11 years in the Maldives.  

The Ministry further states that they have no intention on permitting targeted shark fishery in the Maldives. 

In 2010, due to serious concerns surrounding the status of shark stocks in the Indian Ocean, Maldives adopted the Precautionary Approach and imposed a ban on shark fishing within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) – being the first Indian Ocean country to declare the whole of its EEZ as a shark sanctuary.  

After 11 years into the ban, complaints have arisen recently regarding the increase of the shark population in general and them preying on the catch of fishermen who have raised complaints that their respective fisheries and income have been seriously affected by wide-spread depredation in recent years. Consequently, Maldives Marine Research Institute have undertaken various research initiatives and scientific surveys to assess shark populations and the scale of shark depredation in other fisheries. 

Concluding the statement, the Ministry notes that they recognize the important role sharks play in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems, and pledged that they remain committed to ensuring that island nation’s marine resources are utilized sustainably and managed responsible noting that Maldives is proud to have always been exemplary in its efforts in ocean management in the light of the pole-and-line fishing method practiced in the country which makes the country’s tuna fisheries one of the most sustainable in the world.