Supporting sustainable shark tourism in the Maldives
By Beth Flavell, Jamie Small and Ness Amaral-Rogers
Shark sanctuaries are areas of the ocean designated to provide safe havens for sharks and can become ecotourism hotspots for divers eager to experience a shark up close. However, ensuring that the dives are undertaken safely and sustainably is critical to ensuring the future of this growing area. Find out how we’re working with local stakeholders in the Maldives to support shark tourism in today’s blog post.
According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it is estimated that over one-third of sharks and related species are threatened with extinction. However, the development of shark marine protected areas, or ‘shark sanctuaries’, where shark fishing and related activities are often heavily regulated, or even prohibited, aim to help populations to recover. These sanctuaries can bring many benefits, including boosting local economies through tourists who come to dive and observe sharks in their natural environment. A study in 2017 found that shark tourism in the Bahamas generated 113.8 million US Dollars annually for the economy, most of which was derived from shark dives.
The Maldives is one of seventeen shark sanctuaries in the world and is internationally renowned for its opportunities to observe sharks. In recent years Fuvahmulah Atoll – a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in southern Maldives – has become a popular dive destination for shark tourism. Local fisheries' waste disposal has played a role attracting the sharks to specific locations on the island in great numbers. In particular, the famous ‘Tiger Harbour’ dive site, where divers can experience close encounters with multiple tiger sharks.
The Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) contracted a shark expert to work with Fuvahmulah City Council, the Maldives Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy (now Ministry of Tourism and Environment) and stakeholders, including dive operators and fishers, to review the current shark diving practices.
Through the ‘Review of shark diving practices at Fuvahmulah, Maldives’, the stakeholders agreed there was the need to develop standardised operational practices to ensure diver and shark safety, and the long-term sustainability of the sector. In collaboration with local and national authorities and the dive industry in Fuvahmulah, OCPP contracted shark experts developed shark diving Codes of Conduct aimed at different shark species:
- Thresher sharks
- Tiger sharks at Tiger Harbour (one for divers and one for guides)
- Other predatory sharks
Additionally, recognizing the critical role of dive guides in ensuring safe and responsible interactions, a parallel initiative explored the feasibility of a Shark Dive Guide Certification programme. This work has brought in vital expertise around sustainable tourism and shark management to Maldives, along with OCPP's expertise around stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
The final report and associated Shark Codes of Conduct are now available from JNCCs Resource Hub.
The OCPP is delivered by Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), JNCC and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) on behalf of Defra. The programme is funded through official development assistance (ODA) as part of the UK’s £500 million Blue Planet Fund. Through the OCPP, the UK government partners with ODA-eligible countries to deliver tangible and positive impacts on the livelihoods of coastal communities that depend on healthy marine ecosystems. For more information about the OCPP Maldives partnership visit our OCPP Maldives webpage.