The Republic of Maldives is known for its rich marine environment, home to habitats including mangrove, seagrasses and coral reefs. These habitats are integral to Maldives’ two major industries of fisheries and tourism, and provide food security, employment, foreign income, and recreation.
The Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) has been invited to collaborate with the Government of Maldives to explore opportunities to support effective management of their marine environment. The partnership is providing demand-led technical assistance around two key themes: marine biodiversity and marine pollution.
The focus of the marine biodiversity theme is to provide support for the Maldives Marine Protected Area (MPA) network, with an emphasis on improving governance and stewardship, and alleviating poverty through supporting jobs in sustainable tourism.
Contents
- Introduction
-
Maldives OCPP Work Areas
- Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME)
- MPA Management Framework (including MPA Management Plans and Research & Monitoring Plans)
- Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS)
- MPA Communications & Awareness Raising
- Emergency Response
- Environmental Impact Assessments
- Maldives Protected and Conserved Areas Forum 2024
- Shark Diving Management Support
- Resources
Introduction
Working in partnership with the Government of Maldives, the OCPP are supporting the delivery of activities to assist sustainable marine management in Maldives. To date, activities have focused on enhancing the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Other Effective Conservation-based Measures (OECMs). Details of activities will be listed below as they develop.
The OCPP work in the Maldives is being supported in the UK by experts from JNCC, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture (Cefas). If you have any questions about this work, please get in touch.
Maldives OCPP Work Areas
The below headings summarise some of the current and past work areas undertaken across the biodiversity theme of the OCPP in partnership with the Government of Maldives. Outputs from these work areas can be viewed in the Resources section.
Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME)
In 2021/2022 the OCPP collaborated with the Government of the Maldives to undertake a pilot study to assess the management effectiveness of three different types of marine sites in Maldives, including Hanifaru Area MPA, Kudahuvadhoo Kanduolhi grouper aggregation site and Angsana Velavaru resort house reef. The aim of this study was to increase understanding on how these sites function, determine how well they are being managed, highlight key success areas, and provide recommendations on how management could be improved.
The results for each assessment have been summarised in a final report entitled Report of Protected Area Management Effectiveness Evaluations for three sites in the Maldives. The report also provides a detailed step by step guide on the methodology used and recommendations to improve management effectiveness both for the individual sites assessed and for MPAs across the Maldives. It was launched during a workshop on MPA management in January 2023. Additional publications linked to this area of work can be found in the Resources section including a stakeholder survey report and leaflets summarising the findings for each marine site.
MPA Management Framework (including MPA Management Plans and Research & Monitoring Plans)
To support a coherently managed network of MPAs and OECMs across Maldives the OCPP has worked with the Government of Maldives to develop a national MPA Management Framework.
The Maldives National Framework for Management of Protected and Conserved Areas sets out the context for MPAs and OECMs in Maldives and outlines national approaches to management including key principles and tools to deliver effective management. Guidance on SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) Management Plans for MPAs and OECMs entitled 'Maldives National Management Plan Guidance for Protected and Conserved Areas' has also been developed under the Management Framework to support site managers in writing and developing Management Plans. Advice for creating Research and Monitoring Plans is also in development.
Working with partners in the Maldives, the OCPP and Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy have provided MPA Management Plan training workshops for local Councils and stakeholders across Maldives. The training aims to improve the understanding of the new National Management Framework and Management Plan Guidance and how to apply them to develop Management Plans. Additionally, the OCPP is supporting the development of Management Plans for selected MPAs across Maldives.
Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS)
The OCPP has supplied the Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI) with a set of six Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) to build the surveying capacity and expertise of the MMRI. Shortly after training was delivered in May 2022 the MMRI deployed the BRUVS as part of their National Reef Monitoring Programme. The OCPP will continue to support the MMRI through additional training around BRUV data analysis.
MPA Communications & Awareness Raising
The importance of MPAs and their role in protecting the marine environment of Maldives is not widely known amongst local communities. The OCPP is working with the Government of Maldives to develop communication materials to raise awareness of the role and benefits of MPAs and the different types of designation in Maldives.
As part of this work, the OCPP has produced:
- Three infographics which explain what MPAs are, their roles, their benefits, and the different types of designation in Maldives. The infographics focus on: 'What is an MPA?', 'MPAs in the Maldives' and "Grouper aggregations and MPAs".
- Three sets of posters/banners (portrait and landscape orientation) aimed at raising awareness of MPAs and introducing their role.
All these materials are available to access from the resources section.
We are also supporting the development of a Protected Sites government website which will highlight all MPAs in the Maldives and provide access to associated management materials.
Emergency Response
The Maldives lies near internationally busy shipping lanes making them vulnerable to ship related maritime pollution incidents. The OCPP will be working with relevant Ministries and Agencies in Maldives to support proactive emergency response (ER) work. Training will be given across different aspects of ER including oil spill modelling, post-spill monitoring, and oiled wildlife response. This will help to increase preparedness within the Maldives to better plan for, and respond to, such incidents.
Environmental Impact Assessments
We are supporting Maldives Government with strengthening their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes via knowledge exchange and sharing best practice and guidance used in the UK EIA process.
Maldives Protected and Conserved Areas Forum 2024
The first Maldives Protected and Conserved Area (PCA) Forum took place at Crossroads resort on 15–17 January 2024, followed by a local MPA manager day on 18 January. The Forum brought together those working on Protected and Conserved Areas across Maldives to share and exchange knowledge, explore synergies and opportunities to work together, and provide a platform to learn from global partners. The event was organised by the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, with assistance from the OCPP, and additional support provided by International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The event allowed international and national stakeholders to discuss effective management of Protected Conservation Areas (PCAs) and achieving the ambitious goal of protecting 30% of the country's land and sea by 2030. The Forum also resulted in several key announcements, including a new government website and handbook on protected areas, scholarships for marine science research, and Maldives taking a co-chair position in the Asia Protected Areas Partnership. The insights from the forum will be used to develop a roadmap for achieving the Maldives' 30x30 target. The report of the workshop can be found in the resources section and a JNCC blog post describing the event can be viewed on JNCC's blog.
Shark Diving Management Support
Maldives is one of seventeen shark sanctuaries in the world and is internationally renowned for its opportunities to observe sharks in their natural environment. In recent years Fuvahmulah Atoll – a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in southern Maldives – has become a popular dive destination for shark tourism, particularly for its close encounters with tiger sharks.
In 2023-24 the OCPP contracted a shark expert to work with Fuvahmulah City Council, Maldives Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, and stakeholders to review the current shark diving practices. The report, ‘Review of shark diving practices at Fuvahmulah, Maldives’ can be found in the resources section. The OCPP is continuing to support the Council and dive industry stakeholders to develop Codes of Conduct for interactions with sharks and a shark dive guide certification programme.
Resources
Published pieces of work associated with the listed activities undertaken through the OCPP-Maldives Government partnership can be found in this section and will be added throughout the programme.
Reports:
- Report of Protected Area Management Effectiveness Evaluations for three sites in the Maldives (2023)
- Protected Area Management Effectiveness Evaluation results outreach leaflets (2023)
- Assessing the Management Effectiveness of three sites in the Maldives: Stakeholder Survey Results (2022)
- Workshop report: the use of new technology to support MPA surveillance, compliance and enforcement in the Maldives (2023)
- OCPP and IUCN Joint Workshop: MPA Management and IUCN Green List Feasibility Assessment Validation Workshop Report (2023)
- Maldives Protected and Conserved Areas Forum 2024: Forum Report
- Review of Shark Diving Practices at Fuvahmulah, Maldives (2024)
- Maldives National Framework for Management of Protected and Conserved Areas (2024)
- Maldives National Management Plan Guidance for Protected and Conserved Areas (2024)
Communication and awareness raising material:
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