Maldives: the next Atlantis?

By Captain Locky MacLean
10 December 2011 When one thinks of world-class diving, the tiny Republic of the Maldives immediately comes to mind. Keen divers travel from all corners of the globe to this Indian Ocean island nation. They come to marvel at the biodiversity its atolls and islands shelter under their shores. The Maldivian islands, once considered a global leader in sustainable fishing and climate change talks, spurred on by the Republic’s vulnerability to sea level rise, now seem to be spiralling into the lucrative abyss of longlining, marine mammal trafficking, unsustainable aquaculture, and destruction of habitat. While anchored in the Maldives this November, the crew members of Sea Shepherd’s ship the Brigitte Bardot were contacted by local Maldivian activists. The activists proclaimed they had tried all the proper channels in an attempt to protect their environment. They had tried to hold their government to its campaign promises, without success, and the time had come for direct action. In a meeting with Sea Shepherd Captain Lockhart MacLean and crew member/marine scientist Zoe Beckett, members of the Maldivian dive community voiced their concerns about the future of the Maldives environment and the need for the world to know about the issues facing this delicate and fragile eco-system. For centuries the Maldivians have maintained a sustainable tuna fishery based on the traditional, dolphin safe pole and line method, UNTIL NOW.

Sea Shepherd has been informed that while maintaining the DOLPHIN SAFE logo on their tuna products, Maldives has allowed for longlining to start replacing pole and line, without rebranding the packaging to inform customers of this change in fishing methods. Maldivian longliners are already searching for foreign companies to cooperate with them in this destructive venture. In October, Maldives President Mohammed Nashid approved a lease to Maldives star tennis player and developer Amir Mansoor. This lease, backed by the Ministry of Finance and the Department of National Planning, would allow for the building of a captive dolphinarium inside a lagoon, which would be sealed off from the surrounding waters. To appease local activists, Mr. Mansoor claimed the dolphins would not be local Maldivian species. They would instead be imported from overseas, opening the door to speculation on whether these would be Taiji dolphins. In an overtly corrupt fashion, Maldives National Planning Council has been awarding lucrative lagoon reclamation projects and leases, which replace marine habitat and reef systems with hotels and resorts, to well placed politicians such as the Chairman of the Ruling Party, Reeko Moosa Manik, and Sim Ibrahim Mohamed, the husband of Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa. Furthermore, in a bid to increase profits, mangroves in northern Maldivian atolls are being destroyed to make way for sea cucumber farming planned for Chinese export. A sensitive, shallow lagoon, currently a critical Manta Ray breeding ground, has been leased to sea cucumber farmers. Although approved, construction has not yet commenced. There is time to stop this! […] Maldives President’s Office  http://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv/Index.aspx?lid=6 Department of National Planning,  Ministry of Finance and Treasury npc@planning.gov.mv Ameenee Magu Male’, 20125, Rep. of Maldives Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture  5th Floor, velaanaage  Ameeru Ahmed Magu  Block 20096  Male’, Republic of Maldives  General Tel:  (+960)3323224 (+960)3323226 Fax: (+960)3322512 E-mail: info@tourism.gov.mv