Maldivian Government Moves to Protect its Whale Sharks and Allocates Protect Areas
New Whale Shark Habitats
In another step towards becoming environment-friendly, the Maldivian government unveiled plans yesterday to designate three whale shark habitats in the Maldives as protected areas.
The allocated protected areas include Baa atoll Hanifaru, Baa atoll An’gafaru and Alif Dhaal atoll Maamigili as protected areas to commemorate World Environment Day and World Ocean Day on the 5 and 8 June respectively.
“We welcome the whale shark sanctuaries,” said Ali Rilwan, executive director of environment NGO Bluepeace today. “We don’t need paper parks, we need monitoring and more research in these areas.”
In March, the ministry of fisheries and agriculture extended the moratorium on reef shark fishing to cover the whole of the Maldives as part of a move towards a total ban on both reef and oceanic shark hunting.
The main objective of the project was to protect the areas mega fauna, namely whale sharks and manta rays.
Divided into various zones, in which different activities will be permitted. While diving and snorkeling would still be allowed, a set of guidelines would be provided to instruct on how to deal with encounters with whale sharks.
Further, boats including Liveaboards and dive boats will be subject to speed limits in certain areas.
Local and Global Reaction
The reaction of local residents was “very positive”. “They actively wanted this to happen and this won’t impact any of their activities so they have nothing to lose from this,” “That’s the findings of the consultation.”
The decision would have a “global significance” and the areas were among the few in the world where whale sharks could be spotted.
Studying the Whale Shark
(whale shark, Maldives)
The polka-dotted whale shark is the largest fish on the planet, but very little is known about their existence, according to the Maldives Whale Shark Research Program’s website.
While it is known they swim potentially vast distances across the ocean, eating only plankton, tiny fish and squid, how long they live or where they reproduce remains a mystery.
It was crucial to establish a set of guidelines to counter the impact that the growth of tourism would have on whale sharks in future years. At present, it is estimated that whale shark excursions generate US$10 million annually.
According to researchers there have been 115 whale sharks spotted around the Maldives, although the real number was probably higher.
“Some of these areas are important feeding grounds,” “And out of all of them, there are only two females, so the animals are only spending part of their lives here.”
The designated areas would also protect other animal species such as manta rays in Hanifaru and Gray reef sharks and White tips reef sharks in Baa Atoll An’gafaru.
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