Maldives Ocean Alliance (MOA) has sent a letter to the government urging the government to uphold the ban on shark fishing and cautioning against the dangers that may be posed should said ban be lifted.
Maldives Ocean Alliance (MOA) has sent a letter to the government urging the government to uphold the ban on shark fishing and cautioning against the dangers that may be posed should said ban be lifted.
The letter, addressed to the President's Office, Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources and the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy was signed by 13 member organizations of the MOA.
In the letter, MOA emphasized the economic and environmental benefits of upholding the ban on shark fishing.
They went on to address misconceptions about shark populations in the Maldives, stating that despite the ban, sharks remain vulnerable to overfishing due to slow growth and low reproductive rates.
MOA also highlighted the importance of the shark fishing ban on the tourism industry, citing that direct revenue from shark tourism is estimated at USD 14.4 million, with an additional USD 51.4 million generated for local businesses.
They, however, called on the government to better regulate practices such as shark fishing in light of the adverse effects it may have, and to offer adequate safety training.
Besides this, the MOA also urged the government to refrain from permitting long line fishing, stating that doing so would tarnish the reputation of Maldives' tuna fisheries which is widely recognized for exclusively being done through pole and line fishing.
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