Maldives to resume shark fishing in november
The government of the Maldives has announced that the nationwide ban on shark fishing, in place since 2010, will be lifted this November. President Mohamed Muizzu confirmed that fisheries targeting the porbeagle shark will be reopened, describing the sector as “an important source of revenue.”
ecology other worldwide fishing marine tourism and recreation news28 august 2025 | 18:06 | Source: Gazeta Morska / PAP | Prepared by: Kamil Kusier | Print
fot. Freepik
Shark liver oil has historically been one of the country’s key export commodities, alongside tuna fishing and tourism, which remain the backbone of the island nation’s economy. Prior to the 2010 ban, shark fisheries ranked second only to tuna as a source of income for the archipelago’s population of just over half a million.
The original moratorium was introduced to protect shark populations and support the rapid growth of tourism, particularly the lucrative diving sector. Today, the Maldives are best known internationally for their luxury resorts and coral reef attractions.
The policy shift has triggered concern among conservation groups. UK-based NGO Shark Guardian warned that short-term economic benefits could undermine the long-term stability of the Maldivian economy.
- Sharks are keystone species for marine ecosystems, and overfishing them risks damaging both biodiversity and the country’s tourism appeal, the group stated.
Comprising more than 1,190 islands stretching across 800 kilometers southwest of India, the Maldives are already on the frontline of climate change, threatened by rising sea levels in the Indian Ocean. Experts note that further pressure on marine ecosystems could heighten the country’s environmental vulnerability and economic risks.
Buy us a coffee, and we’ll invest in great maritime journalism! Support Gazeta Morska and help us sail forward – click here!
Kamil Kusier
redaktor naczelny
comments
Add the first comment
see also
SAR crew rescues exhausted white-tailed eagle after double emergency call
Puhas Meri 2026 exercise. Estonia and Finland drill oil spill response in the Baltic.
Van Oord secures position on England’s coastal protection framework
Energa expands FRUG partnership, broadening Baltic conservation and marine education outreach
TBM arrives in Górki Zachodnie: key phase begins for FSRU offshore pipeline microtunnel in the Gulf of Gdańsk
Gdańsk University of Technology researcher among NASA award-winning air quality mission team
Grey seals, the "Baltic pups". Deep dive knowledge from the Gdynia Aquarium
Winter periscope mode and sandbanks instead of ice: how seals rest in the southern Baltic
Baltic Sea water levels at a record low: a meteorological-oceanographic anomaly with major implications
PLN 15 million allocated for beach nourishment along Poland’s Baltic coast
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT