Why Soneva Fushi has taken grouper off the menu

The Maldives grouper fishery is declining, and along with it, the livelihoods of local fishermen. Approximately 7100 million tonnes of reef fish are purchased annually by resorts alone –three times the estimated amount being purchased in the late 80s, and groupers specifically are also targets of a fishery that supplies East Asian markets. Groupers are long lived, some living to 100 years old. It takes many years for grouper to become reproductively active. At present, groupers are being taken off the reef before they have had chance to reproduce which is leading to dramatic declines in the grouper population of the Maldives. Surveys conducted between 2002-2004 found 43% of total grouper catch to be below maturity length. In other words, 43% of the Maldives catch had not had chance to reproduce to replenish the population.  It is highly unsustainable to fish grouper, and as such, Soneva Fushi has taken grouper off the menu. 

 

Surveys conducted in Maldives between 2002-2004 found
43% of total grouper catch to be below maturity length.