Atoll Editions

05/09/2024

A welcome outcome

📣 Announcement! The Maldivian government has decided not to resume longline fisheries.

🇲🇻 The Maldivian government has reaffirmed its commitment to local fishers by deciding not to resume longlining, a practice that could harm marine ecosystems. We commend the President of the Maldives for supporting only one-by-one tuna fisheries, ensuring the country remains among the world's most sustainable tuna producers.

🎣 Longline fishing is a large threat to manta rays. This fishing method uses miles of baited hooks, which unfortunately often catch non-target species like manta rays, leading to serious injuries or death. Additionally longlines are often lost in the ocean, harming or killing marine life long after the boats have left. Manta rays are especially vulnerable because they reproduce slowly, giving birth to just one pup every few years. This means even a small number of accidental catches can have devastating effects on their populations.

🤿 Manta rays are crucial for healthy marine ecosystems and contribute significantly to tourism in places like the Maldives, benefiting local communities that depend on this sector. By choosing to support sustainable fishing methods and avoiding harmful practices like longlining, we can help protect manta rays!

🙏 Thank you to everyone who signed the petition to prevent the reopening of longline fishing in the Maldives.

📸 Jasmine Corbett

28/08/2024

So disappointing to see the Maldives Government even considering this retrograde policy. They have developed a thriving tourist trade and respect for their conservation initiatives. Now they want to throw all that goodwill away.

07/10/2023

27/09/2023

True power

05/09/2023

A bit late for International Whale Shark Day, but a reminder prompted me to note an example of the popular appeal of this Ocean Shark. For many in the colder southern climes of Australia, their first encounter with a whale shark is this sculpture on the wall of the Apollo Bay Fisherman’s co-op. It was inherited from the 2005 Commonwealth Games after the Maldives team used it as their country emblem. What a talking point it has been over many years! It is now in dire need of maintenance, but we think it is worth keeping.

26/02/2023

Phillippe Laurelle, sailor, artist and friend to many. A Maldives tourism pioneer passes on.

Laurella designed his first safari boat, ‘Baraabaru', soon after he arrived in the Maldives, kick-starting the modern liveaboard tourism industry.

30/12/2022

Happy New Year…

22/12/2022

The coral database

Introducing the Coral Database, a national, online database for storing and managing information on the state and health of marine ecosystems in the Maldives.

16/09/2022

Atoll Editions now has a new book in Australia: Shore Life of the Great Ocean Road. For more information click here: facebook.com/shorelifeGOR

A identification guide to the shore life of the Great Ocean Road, by Tim Godfrey and Sally McPhee. A

01/03/2022

An updated Resort Map of the Maldives (March 2022) has been printed and is now available in the Maldives.

21/11/2021

01/01/2020

Should the dive industry and marine professionals be consulted about new island developments before they are announced? Its not to late to have your say. Attached is a list of proposed resorts. If you visit these locations, please share your knowledge know about them.

28/12/2019

Alidhuffarufinolhu in Haa Alifu. Located 3 Kms north of the historic island of Utheem, a proposed resort is planned for the small sandbank island. A dive hotspot, no Environmental Impact Assessment has been conducted. Not how to promote tourism to the region!!!

26/12/2019

No EIA for proposed sandbank resort

26/12/2019

No EIA for proposed sandbank resort. Photo by Alike Schroeder, Noonu Atoll.

26/12/2019

When is enough, enough?
A proposed new resort development for the small sandbank island of Alidhuffarufinolhu in Haa Alifu (Atlas of the Maldives, Map 1, Grid Ref E2C, coordinates 6°51’40.63”N 73°06’14.53”E) has raised concerns about the impact on marine life on one of the most iconic dive locations in the atoll.
Marine Biologist, Massimo Casali, who regularly dives the island reefs with clients, says this particular spot is significant for different shark and ray species including Nurse sharks, Grey reef sharks, aggregations of Eagle rays as well as migrating and resident Manta rays. Turtles tracks (possibly Green turtles) have been seen on the sandbank and most likely nest there. Heron, sand plovers and other species use the sandbank, possibly for nesting.
News of the proposed development has appeared without any environmental impact assessment (EIA) being made. It is feared construction will have dire consequences not just for shark and ray populations, but for reef health as well. Help save the sandbank. Check out Massimo's video. Enough is enough