Maldives

 

Our Maldives project aims to create a network of locally managed marine protected areas on Laamu Atoll as a blueprint for protection in the Maldives. We work with the Maldivian government and selected resorts to increase protection of reefs and tackle exploitation of vulnerable species in the region. Working with local Maldivian charity Maldives Resilient Reefs (MRR), which Blue Marine helped establish, we have successfully helped achieve the designation of six new MPAs on Laamu Atoll covering an area of ~25km2 , led a campaign which stopped the lifting of the ten-year shark fishing moratorium and secured a national fishing ban for all species of parrotfish and new legal minimum landing size limits for groupers.  

The much-needed funding from L2M will support the core staff of MRR for the next year to improve our sustainable fishers ’Laamaseelu Masveriya’ programme and see it rolled out to additional resorts. As well as continuing our education and outreach work, funding will allow continuation of critical grouper surveys to understand their spawning aggregations and allow the team to work with Hithadhoo Council to develop management of a Locally Managed Marine Area at Hithadhoo Corner through creation of a Marine Management Plan including no-take zone to protect key biodiversity.