The government has proposed an amendment proposing a fine of maximum MVR 500,000 for fishing a protected species, and a fine of maximum MVR 1 million for smuggling protected fish or parts of it. 

The amendment was submitted to parliament by ruling People's National Congress (PNC)'s MP Mohamed Alsan Ahmed (South Thinadhoo). 

The first reading of the bill was held on April 20, and the preliminary debate began today. 

The current Fisheries Act does not explicitly define fishing of a protected species as a legal offence. The Act instead states that offences are to be defined under a regulation drafted under the law. As per Article 77 of the Act, there is a blanket fine of maximum MVR 5,000 for offences under this regulation. This penalty, too, is at the discretion of the Fisheries Ministry. 

The amendment proposed by Alsan calls for fishing or smuggling of a protected species to be defined as a legal offence.

In addition to the fines, the bill also proposes setting several other actions that can harm fisheries as offences. It states that harming fisheries resources is an offence that carries a fine of maximum MVR 200,000.