Maldives Marine Newsletter

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1 Maldives Marine Newsletter Issue no 1. March 2014 In this issue OUR MISSION P2 P4 P6 P8 P9 P11 P13 P15 INTRODUCTION: IUCN in the Maldives MALDIVES MARINE BIOLOGIST IN ACTION: Six Senses Laamu Creates Code of Conduct for Dolphin Watching MARINE MANAGEMENT: National Coral Reef Monitoring MEET A FELLOW MARINE CONSERVATIONIST SPECIES HIGHLIGHT: Marine Turtles MARINE CONSERVATION: Mangroves for the Future Programme (MFF) in the Maldives MALDIVES MARINE BIOLOGIST IN ACTION: Maldives Tourism Adaptation Platform FEATURED EVENT: First Whale Shark Festival IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges by supporting scientific research; managing field projects all over the world; and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN, international conventions and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice. Our vision is a just world that values and conserves nature. Our mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. The world s oldest and largest global environmental network, IUCN is a democratic membership union with more than 1,200 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists and experts in some 160 countries. IUCN s work is supported by over 1,000 professional staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. IUCN s headquarters are located in Gland, near Geneva, in Switzerland. IUCN has been undertaking and supporting environmental conservation and addressing development challenges in the Maldives since 1985 through its global and regional programmes. Currently, IUCN s work in the Maldives is supported by the Asia Regional Office based in Thailand and the Global Marine and Polar Programme based in Switzerland. 1

2 INTRODUCTION IUCN in the Maldives A message from Dr. Ameer Abdulla, Programme Lead-Coral Reefs, Global Marine Programme, IUCN The Maldives is truly a special place. With a rich culture and warm-hearted people, its spectacular vistas and marine life continuously inspire and awe. Even with 1190 islands, land is still the scarcest resource in the country, making up less than 1% of its surface area. As one of the lowest lying countries in the world (mean 1.5 m), the country and its people are especially vulnerable to climate change impacts such as sea level rise, coral reef bleaching and mortality, ocean acidification, and increases in severe weather events. Importantly, the Maldives archipelago represents a globally unique ecoregion and species biogeography. Given the outstanding characteristics mentioned, the Maldives was announced as 1 of 50 Hope Spots in the world 1 by IUCN and Mission Blue. It is clear that the future of the people and the marine resources in the Maldives is of global significance and interest. I have visited and worked in many tropical locations in my professional career which include countries in the Coral Sea, Caribbean, the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean. Here in the Maldives I see a unique and undeniable connection between the people and their sea, a strong inter-dependency between the social and ecological communities that inhabit these islands and surrounding waters. An interdependency that needs to be sustained for the future wellbeing of the country. Whether you are born in the Maldives or have the luck and opportunity to visit and live here, it is clear that there is a strong appreciation of its marine natural heritage by all. Such recognition of the importance of marine resources leads to a commitment to find innovative ways to protect and manage them for future generations to appreciate and utilise. The objectives of the IUCN Maldives Marine Projects were developed to address the environmental priorities and challenges that the Maldives faces. They include enhancing coral reef resilience (both social and ecological), supporting climate change adaptation, advancing marine species management and increasing environmental awareness across different sectors. These are ambitious but urgent priorities that require vision, dedication, perseverance and commitment by many individuals, groups and stakeholders of society in order to address them. My message is simple: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts; this is the true definition of synergy. You, me, ministries, resorts, NGOs, universities, students, visitors, and everyone passionate about the Maldives natural environment, can each play a vital role. I have spoken with many who live and work in the Maldives from government officials and general managers at resorts, to dive centres and live aboard staff, to women, students and fishers- all would like to contribute to something bigger, a higher purpose. We are able to better address the marine resource challenges of the Maldives together, and make real and positive change that is more lasting and powerful more so than if we each work alone

3 So what is it that we can do together? Put concisely: we work locally to address national-scale challenges to marine resource conservation, management, and sustainability. Scaling up conservation and management from the local to national and even regional levels is vital. Moving from single unique independent nodes to an interconnected network and coalition of willing and active contributors is key to effectively addressing these urgent issues. IUCN can support your work, help develop your objectives and enhance collaboration between individuals, groups, and projects. The role of IUCN is to convene different stakeholders, build bridges, and develop platforms that we can all contribute to and benefit from in the short and long term. Our mandate is to develop or communicate the necessary knowledge that empowers people to govern their resources. Our team would be privileged to work with all of you, as IUCN can only do this with you. Our newsletter is a reflection of our collaborations and a testimony to the synergies that can be developed when many are working towards the same aim. The newsletter is a platform to showcase your work and share insights with others that may benefit from it. It is designed to inform and inspire those who are passionate about the marine ecosystems of the Maldives and to feature the work of fellow marine practitioners and conservationists. This is your newsletter so please do consider contributing so that worthwhile initiatives are recognised, best practice is shared, and crucial links are made. Together, the success we achieve in the Maldives will resonate in the Indian Ocean and further to other oceans and regions touched by the same pressing issues. We look forward to working with all of you. With warm regards, Ameer Photo Alissa Nagel 3

4 MALDIVES MARINE BIOLOGIST IN ACTION Six Senses Laamu Creates Code of Conduct for Dolphin Watching By Rachel Lambert. Marine Biologist, Six Senses Laamu Iam pleased to announce that Six Senses Laamu has successfully implemented a code of conduct for dolphin watching in order to protect the local dolphin populations. Since the issue of disturbance has become a major conservation concern due to the assessed potential negative impacts, I decided to implement a local code of conduct for Six Senses Laamu. For the marine mammals module of my Masters degree, I wrote a review about the issues relating to whale and dolphin watching and the methods in place for ensuring the future sustainability of the industry. Disturbance is the major conservation concern related to the whale and dolphin watching industry as the presence of boats has been shown to change the behaviour of the animals. Disturbance can be separated into three levels; immediate, short-term and long-term disturbance. The immediate impacts are the result of the boats colliding with or the propellers hitting the dolphins and causing either injury or death. The short-term behavioural reactions include changes in surfacing behaviour; travelling direction and speed; feeding and resting patterns; group size; acoustic behaviour; mating or nursing behaviour; and increased aggressive behaviour, such as tail slaps 2. The long-term impacts of continued disturbance can lead to an increase in chronic stress which can lead to reduced reproductive success and even mortality 3. Rest is essential to maintain high levels of foraging efficiency, vigilance and parental care and a reduction can thereby negatively impact on the wellbeing of the animal (Constantine et al. 2004). Continued disturbance could lead to an alteration in the animals distribution and range or even habitat abandonment, for example moving out of the atolls. A growing awareness of these issues is leading to the development of local codes of conduct for the boats around dolphin populations to encourage sustainable tourism. After completing my Masters, I spent two seasons working with the Sea Watch Foundation, a U.K. marine mammal charity, on their Cardigan Bay Bottlenose Dolphin Monitoring Project. Part of the project included monitoring the boat traffic to ensure that the local code of conduct was being adhered to. Upon arrival at Six Senses Laamu, I noticed that the boat drivers did not have a code of conduct in place for driving around dolphins. Drawing on my previously acquired knowledge and experience of working in the field, I developed a code of conduct for our boat drivers. I also consulted with several marine mammal biologists to figure out the best way to implement the code. Since the issue of disturbance and its potential negative impacts has never been addressed here before, I gave a presentation to all the boat crews to explain why I was implementing a code of conduct. Explaining the issues and giving the crews an understanding of why the code is being put in place has been shown to help ensure cooperation and compliance. The code is about minimising any potential disturbance that the presence of our boats can have on the dolphins. 50 m is the minimum approach distance so that we do not impose ourselves upon them. It is imperative that we do not approach the group directly from in front or from 2 Chen C-L. (2010) From catching to watching: Moving towards quality assurance of whale/dolphin watching tourism in Taiwan. Marine Policy, 35(1): Constantine, R., Brunton, D.H. & Dennis, T. (2004) Dolphin-watching tour boats changes bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) behaviour. Biological Conservation 117:

5 behind as this will cause the animals to change their travel direction to avoid us and creates a sense of being chased if we approach from behind. The code is about allowing the dolphins to have the choice to approach the boat should they wish to bow-ride or to avoid the boat especially if they are in times of rest. If the boat maintains a steady speed and direction then we are being predictable and the dolphins are able to plan their movements around the boat. 6 knots is the speed limit when within 150m as the chances of colliding with the dolphins increase drastically above this speed. It is important that we do not chase the dolphins at speed or get in the way of their direction of travel. Mothers are highly protective of their calves and have been found to push their young away from approaching boats. When mothers and calves are in the group it is very important that we do not come between them as this leaves the calf open to predation and to attack from other dolphins. Many charities and local governments are implementing codes of conducts and fines for protecting their dolphin populations and thereby, a growing awareness of the importance of a sustainable industry has developed. Tourists are becoming increasingly aware of the issues of disturbance and seek out sustainably run tour operators for their dolphin watching excursions. The code of conduct is therefore about ensuring the future sustainability of our dolphin populations as well as enhancing the guest experience. Photo Rachel Lambert 5

6 MARINE MANAGEMENT: National Coral Reef Monitoring Training on the National Coral Reef Monitoring Framework By Patrik Svensson, Senior Project Officer, IUCN The health of the world s coral reefs has deteriorated across most regions, including the Indian Ocean, posing challenges for conservationists, resource managers and reef-dependent societies globally. A multitude of pressures are threatening coral reefs, ranging from climate change and ocean acidification driven by carbon emissions, to destructive fishing and overfishing, poorly planned coastal and urban development, and pollution. The Maldives archipelago has similarly been exposed to impacts of climate change with severe and mass coral bleaching events following the El Niño of 1998 and These events have decimated a large majority of shallow fringing coral reefs, an ecosystem that plays a fundamental role in food provision, shoreline protection, and enhanced water quality. To address climate-related risks and to strengthen Maldives resilience to these risks, the Climate Change Trust Fund (CCTF) was established in 2010, administered by the World Bank, with donations from AusAid and the European Union. With coordination from the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MEE), funds have been allocated to a number of projects identified by the Government of Maldives (GOM) related to climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. A major project stemming from this funding is the Coral Reef Monitoring Component, which is part of the Wetland Conservation and Coral Reef Monitoring for Adaptation to Climate Change (WCCM) Project. The Coral Reef Monitoring Component is specified as Developing and piloting a web-enabled 6

7 coral reef monitoring framework for evidencebased management of the coral reef ecosystem. The foundation work has recently been completed for this in the form of a powerful web-enabled national geo-database, referred to as the National Coral Reef Monitoring Framework. This framework enables the building of protocols and the input, archiving and manipulation of monitoring data, which is to be used to make informed decisions on resources management. The monitoring protocols build on a number of protocols developed under the Maldives Environmental Management Project (MEMP) and have recently been peer reviewed by external consultants. The protocols are designed to support the monitoring of coral reefs and the provision of information for evidence-based management of coral reefs. A consortium of partners including the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Marine Research Center, CDE consulting, Marine Applied Research Center, and IUCN has been developed to refine the protocols, develop training modules, conduct field training with select resort and government staff, as well as to collect data and enter it into the National Coral Reef Monitoring Framework. This will first be done at five pilot resorts in Kaafu atoll (Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, Bandos Island Resort and Spa, Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Jumeirah Vittaveli, Paradise Island Resort and Spa). The ultimate goal of the project is to assist the people of Maldives in improving atoll ecosystem management in a manner that is sciencebased, decentralized, participatory, stakeholder-driven, and financially sustainable. The aim is, through all the materials and training processes that are developed, to ultimately empower people to participate in the project in the near and long-term. This will involve building the capacity of resort staff and managers while ensuring the training materials positively shape their perceptions of the importance and long-term benefits of participating in the project. The training at the five pilot resorts is planned to start in spring For more information: 7

8 MEET A FELLOW MARINE CONSERVATIONIST Rilwan Yoosuf, Assistant Research Officer, Marine Research Center I had a fascination for the ocean as a child and I worked as a Dive Guide for eight years before joining the Marine Research Centre (MRC). This is my sixth year running in the MRC and I have been working with the Coral Reef Unit for the past five years. During my first three years at the MRC, Hussein Zahir was my boss - a senior reef ecologist and one of the most experienced local scientists on coral reefs. I worked under him and helped with data collection for the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). Under NCRMP we surveyed the recovery of the coral reefs of the Maldives after the 1998 bleaching. My work at the MRC is not limited to coral reefs: I have been involved in finding grouper spawning areas and protecting these sites by helping to develop a Grouper Fishery Management Plan. I worked with Save Our Seas Foundation on a research project to study sharks in the southern atolls of the Maldives and I helped MRC carry out surveys of fishes living around Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs). For the French research organization IRD (Institut de recherche pour le développement), I radio-tagged tuna to study their migration from one FAD to the next. In 2009, I was involved in mapping Baa atoll to record its marine biodiversity. In 2011, I was given the task to run the Coral Reef Unit and personally trained two new staff members to scuba dive and conduct the surveys for the NCRMP. As in many countries, civil service positions are not as highly paid as the private sector and MRC sometimes sees quick staff turnover. Nevertheless, with relatively limited funds, staff and resources, we managed to survey all the sites of NCRMP in 2012! We are currently writing the report on the data collected. In 2012 I got the opportunity to work as the resort liaison officer for the Wetland and Coral Reef Conservation Program funded by European Union and Australian aid. This project is designed to train designated staff of tourist resorts on protocols to collect marine and terrestrial data. Under this project, a database has been built for the resort to enter the data they ve collected, standardizing and centralizing environmental monitoring efforts. Five resorts have signed contracts with this pilot project and training at the resorts is scheduled to commence in April Marine conservation and managing its resources is an endless task and a task that needs people who are devoted and committed to the work they do. Our main focus should be to conserve and manage these resources and to produce new faces that will lead the work we are doing right now. I have known and have been collaborating professionally with Rilwan for the past two years. It is inspiring to see a child s fascination for the Maldivian ocean turn into a career as a scientist, leading a major coral reef conservation project, and contributing to research and publications! As Rilwan concludes, our task is not only to conserve marine resources, but also to inspire the next generation to do so Patrik Svensson, IUCN 8

9 SPECIES HIGHLIGHT: Marine turtles of the Maldives Marine turtles of the Maldives A short overview By Agnese Mancini, Senior Project Officer, IUCN Out of the seven species of marine turtles in the world, six can be found, more or less frequently, in the Indian Ocean 4 : the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) are classified as endangered in the IUCN Red List; the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) are classified as critically endangered; the olive-ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is considered vulnerable and the flatback turtle (Natator depressus), a species endemic of the Australian continental shelf but that sporadically enters the Indo-Pacific region for foraging 5, is classified as data deficient. Click on the species latin name to see their assessment in the IUCN Red List. Five species have been reported in the Maldives (which are too far from the Australian waters for the flatback turtle) 6. The green turtle (known also as Vela or Wela ) 7 is commonly seen in the Maldivian waters where it is known to nest and feed. Nesting occurs throughout the archipelago but because of the dispersed nature of the nesting sites, it is very difficult to estimate the number of female turtles using these sites 6. As for the foraging grounds, patches of seagrass have been described in many atolls, however none seem particularly extensive 7. Hawksbill turtles (also known as Kahambu ) too can be seen throughout the Maldives, either nesting or feeding. Nesting sites are thought to be found on almost every atoll, often at the same sites used by green turtles 6,7. Feeding occurs on most reefs and the few data available showed a preference towards sponges 7. The olive ridley turtle (or Va washi ) 7 is seen commonly off-shore, but no nest has been reported. It is thought that most olive ridleys in the Maldivian waters come from or are going to mass nesting sites located in India at Orissa beach and some recent telemetry studies seemed to partially confirm this pattern 8. Leatherback and loggerhead turtles do not have a common name (although it seems that in certain southern atolls the leatherback turtle was called Musimbi ) and are considered rare 6,7. Because quantitative data for marine turtles in the Maldives are usually scattered, it is not possible to have an idea of the population trends. However, we do have some important data from the entire Indian Ocean region that unfortu- 4 Shanker, K Marine turtle status and conservation in the Indian Ocean. FAO fisheries report 738: Limpus, C.J., Al-Ghais, S.J., Mortimer, J.A., and Pilcher, N.J Marine turtles in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian region: Breeding, distribution, migration and population trends. Convention on Migratory Species, Manila, Philippines. 6 Zahit, H The status of sea turtles in the Maldives. In: IOSEA Marine turtle MoU Profile of the month Downloaded on 06 November Frazier, J., Salas S., and Hassan Didi, N.T Marine Turtles in the Maldive Archipelago. Maldives Marine Research Bulletin 4: 80 pp. 8 Available at: 9

10 nately provide negative trends for most species, with the exception of the olive ridley turtle that showed an increase in terms of nesting in certain areas. Main threats to turtles in the Indian Ocean come from the direct take and egg collection 9, incidental capture in gillnets, near-shore trawlers and longliners 10, and finally coastal development and subsequent habitat loss. In the Maldives, a 10-year ban on catching or killing of marine turtles was implemented and extended for another 10 years, however no legislation is actually protecting the eggs from being collected which is a cause of concern 11. Marine turtles are slow to mature and juvenile survival is low; egg collection is considered a major threat to the long term survival of the species especially if all eggs are being collected. Turtle eggs are actually protected only in 14 index nesting beaches since Other bans, implemented in 1995 and 1996, prohibit respectively importing or selling turtles and turtle-derived products 6. Data on fishery-related mortality are insufficient, however most reported turtles were found entangled in ghost nets (discarded nets) or in oceanic drifters and longliners 10,11,12. Many initiatives have been and are being promoted in the Maldives to protect marine turtles and their habitats, most of which are coming from local stakeholders and communities and have the support of the government. While all these individual projects have a great local impact, there is a need now to merge scientific, technical and traditional knowledge into a wider and comprehensive national action plan for marine turtle conservation. Links to existing initiatives: oliveridleyproject.com/ and com/2014/01/maldives-turtle-id-programme updates/ 9 Frazier, J.G Exploitation of marine turtles in the Indian Ocean. Human Ecology, 8: Shanker, K., and Pilcher, N. J Marine turtle conservation in South and Southeast Asia: hopeless cause or cause for hope. Marine Turtle Newsletter, 100, Bourjea, J., Nel, R., Jiddawi, N. S., Koonjul, M. S., and Bianchi, G Sea turtle bycatch in the West Indian Ocean: review, recommendations and research priorities. Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science, 7(2), The olive ridley project: a web-based initiative. Available at: 10

11 MARINE CONSERVATION: Mangroves for the Future Programme (MFF) in the Maldives By Khadeeja Naseem, National Coordinator for Mangroves for the Future, United Nation Development Programme Maldives: One of the Most Climate Vulnerable Countries in the World As one of the world s most low-lying countries, the Maldives is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Rising sea-levels due to global warming indicate that this low lying archipelagic nation of approximately 1200 islands could cease to exist. Much has been discussed in the way on how the Maldives can overcome the challenges it faces vis-à-vis climate change The MFF programme, implemented in the Indian Ocean region thanks to committed partners co-coordinated by the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) and IUCN, is an important step in that direction. The Mangroves for the Future Programme (MFF) is assisting the Maldives to adopt a National Integrated Coastal Management approach that fully responds to and advances the prescriptions laid out in Maldives National Adaptation Programme of Action on climate change. The MFF Mission MFF is supporting awareness-raising of climate change at island level and promotes activities such as climate adapted agricultural practices that minimize soil and water use. Ensuring a safe and healthy island environment is another MFF priority, particularly by improving waste management practices and by educating island residents about the importance of environmental protection. An Environmentally Sound Coastline - Vital for Economic Development The Maldives is composed of a series of low lying islands, where any area of land mass constitutes a coastal area. Maldives depends entirely on the coastal and marine ecosystems as the assetbase of the national economy. Tourism, the largest contributor to national GDP, is based wholly on the health and attractiveness of Maldives coastal features. The country s second largest industry, fisheries, depends greatly on the productivity of healthy coastal and marine ecosystems. Development activities have had significant impacts on the coastal ecosystems in the Maldives. Some development activities, such as harbour dredging and land reclamation, permanently change the natural environment and substan- Photo MFF 11

12 tially damage habitats while activities such as the improper disposal of solid waste and sewage have a slow cumulative impact on the environment. Beach erosion is a serious problem, with 97% of inhabited islands reporting beach erosion and the uncontrolled disposal of solid wastes, including medical waste, is a threat to coastal and marine ecosystems. The environmental impact of tourism and fisheries activities is often managed to a high standard. On the other hand, human settlements development, transportation and energy projects are undertaken without adequate environmental management and there are no set environmental standards for these sectors. MFF Activities MFF is hosted in the UNDP and works under the guidance of the National Coordinating Body. Currently, the Maldives is completing its phase two in the MFF Programme. MFF assists the communities in the Maldives to combat the environmental degradation and related livelihood issues through the small and medium grants scheme, where local civil society organizations are provided with small grants up to USD 25,000 and medium grants up to USD 100,000. MFF Maldives is also collaborating on two regional projects, The Green Fins initiative and the Mapping and Enhancing Natural Resource Governance in Small Island Communities. In addition, MFF conducts capacity building activities to ensure stronger coastal management. For example, MFF held its first National Waste Management Workshop in the Maldives at AlifAlifUkulhas from November The main aim of the workshop was to contribute towards sustainable coastal management, by improving the capacity of ongoing waste management projects in the Maldives through different activities. The 2 day workshop gave the participants a hands-on and practical training experience. A total of 33 participants from 11 islands, representing the NGO s, Women s Development Committees and Island Councils participated in the training. Conclusion Through the MFF small and medium grants projects and capacity building activities, MFF envisions in assisting communities through empowering women, promoting collaboration between the private sector and civil society for sustainable use of coastal resources and increasing the capacity of civil society. Photo MFF 12

13 MALDIVES MARINE BIOLOGIST IN ACTION: Maldives Tourism Adaptation Platform The Maldives islands are a dream for tourists! By Barbara Gratzer, Resident Marine Biologist and member of MTAP committee The Maldives islands are a dream for tourists. Besides the alluring beaches and the thrilling underwater life, the public eye lays on the Maldives in terms of climate change and its effects on the country. Tourism is the largest economic sector for the country, accounting for 28% of the GDP and 60% of the Maldivian foreign exchange. The massively growing tourism sector is intimately connected to a range of value chains, providing a broad range of goods and services such as food supply, manufacturing and construction, energy and water usage. Currently, the entire tourism sector is lacking in resilient resource usage and thereby vulnerable to climate related shocks and stressors, and in need of climatesmart planning and investments. Several recent assessments highlight the main vulnerable areas: flooding, erosion, water and waste management. Therefore in 2013, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the Tourism Adaptation Project (TAP), in cooperation with the GEF/LDCF 13 and the Maldivian Government, to increase climate change resilience in the Maldives through adaptation in the tourism sector. The project objectives are: increasing awareness regarding climate change and policy service in the tourism and local sector; increasing climate risk financing; measuring and supporting adaptation processes; and increasing the interactions between stakeholders and local communities. Through the Maldives Tourism Adaptation Platform (MTAP), which is launched through Facebook and LinkedIn, TAP has built a platform for exchange and interaction between resorts, the local community and tourists. Through MTAP, 15 to 20 small grant projects will be awarded Photo Barbara Gratzer and implemented by resorts and communities, to share good practices and to promote climate change adaptation in the tourism industry. A tool worth looking at for creating a more resilient and sustainable environment may be sustainable design and technology. Young entrepreneurs all over the world are presenting new ways of how to deal with precious resources. Some of these futuristic ideas may find their way into one or the other resort in Maldives. For example: Styromelt, a container that melts Styrofoam into smaller denser blocks that can be more easily transported and are recyclable; a shower, that uses 30 times less water through a continuous water filtering and recycling system; Diesel fuel, 13 Global Environment Facility/Least Developed Countries Fund 13

14 made out of cooking oil; cooking gas made from animal and kitchen waste; or kitchen garbage processed into an organic fertilizer which is optimal for vegetation growth. All these are ideas that might be implemented in the future in the grantwinning resorts! To apply for a grant and bring your idea to MTAP, please visit: 14

15 FEATURED EVENT: First Whale Shark Festival First annual Whale Shark Festival By Rifaee Rasheed, Marine Projects Officer, IUCN School children and locals from all over South Ari Atoll gathered on the picturesque local island of Dhigurah on the 29th of June, 2013 for the first annual Maldives Whale Shark Festival. The event was a collaborative initiative organized by Dhigurah Island Council and local NGO Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) in association with IUCN. It was sponsored by Global Blue. The Managing Director of MWSRP, Richard Rees, described the rationale behind the event as: The Maldives Whale Shark Festival is about celebrating the fact we are lucky enough to have the largest fish in the oceans in Maldivian waters all year round, especially here in South Ari Marine Protected Area (MPA) and also to acknowledge their special significance to local communities in South Ari atoll. It s also a fun, positive platform from which to raise awareness about conservation of whale sharks and their habitat, and to demonstrate the potential for collaboration between local communities, resorts and other whale shark stakeholders in the area. We would love this event, the first of its kind in the Maldives, to continue to grow year on year, and eventually gain national status. In the weeks leading up to the event, the MWS- RP with the help of consultants from a Londonbased community arts company, Emergency Exit Arts, visited five schools (Mandhoo, Fenfushi, Maamigili, Dhangethi and Dhigurah) and staged creative workshops during which year-10 pupils learned about whale shark biology, ecology and conservation through art and crafts. Each school was tasked with completing a section of a life size whale shark puppet - the centrepiece for the Festivals carnival style parade, along with other members of the whale shark food chain. The sections of the shark were symbolically brought together on the morning of the festival and adorned with photos of the 100 young people who were involved in its creation. Photo MWSRP 15

16 Photo MWSRP In the afternoon, the stage was set for a cultural bonanza and it didn t disappoint. Alongside a pop-up cultural exhibit coordinated by the host island, there were presentations by Dhigurah School captain Noorussalaam Ahmed and IUCN Marine Projects Officer Ms. Rifaee Rasheed on the Whale sharks of South Ari atoll: Past, Present and Future. Guests from three neighbouring resorts also attended and were taken on a journey through time - from Dhigurah s whale shark hunting past, to research findings of today all the way through to the future of sustainable whale shark tourism in the Maldives. As a way of getting the school students engaged in MWSRP whale shark conservation efforts, students were offered the opportunity to give names to five whale sharks in the programme s database. The energetic Kumburudhoo Bodu Beru band signalled the start of the parade and the big entrance of Pearl, the whale shark puppet as named by the schools. A wonderfully vibrant scene unfolded as several hundred people gathered to watch a colourful procession of plankton, bait fish, jelly fish, remoras and of course the whale shark! In hot pursuit was a feat of ingenuity from Dhigurah Island Council - a dhoni 14 on wheels, a traditional bodu mas 15 made out of thatched coconut leaves complete with crew! The parade came to an end with a symbolic lowering of hooks from the fishermen. Photo MWSRP The guest of honour of the event was Mr. Ibrahim Naeem, the Head and the Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Maldives. Mr. Naeem gave a speech endorsing the choice of Dhigurah as the island to host the first festival and stating the potential to establish a management plan in South Ari Marine Protected Area (MPA), similar to that in Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll. Furthermore, he emphasized that the EPA would continue to support all whale shark conservation activities conducted in South Ari MPA, and praised the communities and the resorts for their collaborative work into making the festival a success. In the spirit of the cooperation the event aimed to foster, Conrad Maldives resort offered a twonight stay to be auctioned to raise funds for the development of a permanent cultural centre on 14 A dhoni is a traditional handcrafted Maldivian sailboat 15 bodu mas, meaning big fish, is part of a enacted tale in which fish come and surround the fishermen 16

17 Dhigurah. Vilamendhoo, Mirihi and Holiday Island resorts all donated transport to the local schools for the event. The festivities continued late into that night as Pearl the whale shark made another appearance, this time illuminated alongside glowing jellyfish and great bodu-beru 16 music. Photo MWSRP We hope that the Maldives Whale Shark Festival will become an annual event. On behalf of IUCN, Global Blue and MWSRP, we would like to extend a huge thank you to Dhigurah Island and all those involved in making the first Annual Whale Shark festival a whale shark-sized success! For more information of MWSRP and their activities, visit Whale sharks are the largest sharks in the world. As filter feeders, they pose no threat to human beings and offer memorable wildlife viewing experiences. They are listed on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable, meaning that the species is declining and conservation measures are needed to help its survival. The Maldives banned whale shark fishing in 1995 and is supporting scientific studies and data collection by citizen-scientists, as well as efforts to minimize disturbances by wildlife viewing tours. As always in nature conservation, education and awareness-raising are key to long-term success: the event described here goes a long way in getting the support of the local population to the sharks conservation. 16 Bodu-beru: traditional music accompanied by drums Copyright By IUCN Maldives Marine Projects All rights reserved. This document may, however, be freely reviewed, quoted, reproduced or translated, in part or full, provided the source is acknowledged. IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme marine@iucn.org Photography courtesy and copyright of: Alissa Nagel, Tony Rouphael, Rachel Lambert, Mangroves for the Future Programme, Barbara Gratzer, Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, Rifaee Rasheed, IUCN Maldives Marine Projects. 17

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