Ocean Country Partnership Programme: Maldives Review of shark diving practices at Fuvahmulah atoll, Maldives

Fuvahmulah atoll in the Maldives was declared an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2020 due to its varied biodiversity including diverse coral reef ecosystems and significant populations of sharks. Several protected areas sit within the Biosphere Reserve including Farikede MPA, designated to protect oceanic species that utilise the area including two species of thresher shark; bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus) and common thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus).

In recent years a valuable shark diving industry has emerged across Fuvahmulah as it has become globally recognised for its dive encounters with an abundance of oceanic megafauna including tiger sharks, whale sharks, oceanic manta rays and schooling hammerhead sharks. Of particular interest is the famous 'Tiger Shark Zoo' or 'Tiger Harbour' dive site where divers can experience close encounters with multiple tiger sharks, attracted to the site via provisioning. For the context of this work, the term 'provisioning' refers to the use of food, in the form of fish waste from the fishing industry (e.g. tuna heads), to attract sharks to the site.

The Maldives Ministry of Environment, Technology and Climate Change and Fuvahmulah City Council are currently reviewing the management of MPAs and marine industries on Fuvahmulah. To support the evaluation of current management, this contract seeks to commission a review of shark diving activities that take place at Fuvahmulah. The review will focus on two areas;1) the supplementary feeding of tiger sharks. Summarising current provisioning activities and management in place and providing advice, based on globally recognised best practice, around how current practices and management could be improved.

2. wider shark diving activities that take place in and around Farikede MPA to support the development of a Fuvahmulah tailored shark diving code of conduct that will feed into the management of the Fuvahmulah Biosphere Reserve and MPAs.