Sharks in the Maldives

Sharks: key species in a vast ocean

Sharks are vital in maintaining marine biodiversity, as they are the top predators in ocean food chains. The removal of sharks is affecting marine ecosystems and the abundance of fish species, having cascading effects throughout the entire oceanic food web. Sharks also remove unhealthy and weak individuals from large schools of prey, leaving much stronger and healthier populations that are able to adapt and withstand other pressures. Sharks are key species in a vast ocean.  

  

Shark fin soup: a global pressure

Globally, over 100 million sharks are killed annually, often as by-catch, but primarily for shark fin soup trade, which is at an all-time high. As affluence grows in Asia, so does the market for such a luxury item. One recent study estimated that fins from between 26 and 73 million sharks are traded globally each year. Shark species have slow growth, late maturity and low fecundity resulting in wide generation gaps and low regeneration rates in the population. These factors render sharks extremely vulnerable to over-exploitation, with population declines of over 99% recorded for several species in certain oceans. 

A very cruel method is used to collect shark fins. The shark is hauled up on deck, its fins sliced off, and the animal, often still alive, is thrown back into the sea to where it sinks to the bottom and drowns.

Huge floating factories from foreign countries are known to anchor outside territorial waters, encouraging local fishermen to supply them with shark fins, which retail at up to $1,000 per kilo. If we continue to kill these animals at this current rate, they will be extinct within just a few decades. 

 

Sharks in Maldives

Mohamad Zahir, co-founder of Ecocare, reports how the demand for shark products has developed to a point where the Maldivian shark populations are becoming endangered: “We Maldivians face a great dilemma. The shark populations in the seas surrounding the Maldives are decreasing. There is a reason for this. Although, justly renowned for its tuna fishery, Maldives has also had a minor shark fishery for centuries. Our forefathers had a traditional shark fishery known as “Maa Keyolhu kan” using a huge locally-made hook, to target certain sharks species known to have enormous livers from which oil extracts were used to maintain the wooden hulls of dhonies.”

This ancient use of sharks began to change in the early 1960’s, with the introduction of Japanese long lining. Even then, shark fishing was very much a part-time activity. In more recent years, due to the mechanical methods of fishing, expansion of the export market for shark products and the increased number of tourists, shark fishing became a full time activity for some fishermen which has significantly depleted the shark populations.

 

The Six Senses Shark Campaign

Eva Shivdasani, co-founder of Soneva Fushi, has tirelessly campaigned against the tragic loss of sharks due to the unjustifiable cruelty of shark fishing in which sharks are butchered simply for their fins. Eva has actively driven campaigns to get many restaurants around the world to stop serving shark fin soup and played a big part in getting the Maldivian governments both old and new to agree to ban shark fishing.

Soneva Fushi and Soneva Gili have supported the drive to save the sharks for many years, and boycott any supplier or shop that sells shark items. Together with local activists, nearby resorts and inter-national conservation groups, Soneva Fushi has been working to get a nationwide ban on shark fishing imposed. The resort sent out emails and letters to nearly 90 tourist resorts, 70 dive centres, approx. 300 travel agents in the Maldives and tour operators worldwide, hoping to get their support for the campaign. It also developed informative leaflets, funded a TV campaign and initiated discussions with local authorities to highlight the detrimental effects of shark-fishing to marine ecosystems and the tourism and fishing industries.

 

Progress
A fund to help shark fishermen find alternative livlihoods was launched by the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture on World Oceans Day, June 8th 2010, funded in part by the World Wide Fund for Nature and resorts in Maldives. The funds raised through the Shark Fund were spent on training opportunities for fishermen, aricultural projects, buying back of shark fishing gear and on promoting alternative livelihoods for shark fishermen. The regulation that came into effect on July 1st, 2010 imposed a complete ban on fishing for any species of sharks within twelve miles from the atoll rim of all atolls of the Maldives. 

Juvenile sharks return to Soneva Fushi’s lagoon

For the first time since 2007, juvenile black tip reef sharks are being found in abundance in our house reef. This is fantastic news for the shark populations of Baa Atoll. Lets hope these sightings continue.

How you can help

Refuse to buy souvenirs made of sharkskin, cartilage or teeth and avoid restaurants that serve shark fin soup. If we stop buying products made from sharks, then fishermen around the world will be encouraged to stop the shark trade.