Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology has stated that the new southern region will benefit sustainable fishing. The ministry made the statement after the Maldives received a majority share from the disputed territory near the Chagos Archipelago.
In the statement, the environment ministry stated that the southern region of the Maldives has been demarcated for the first time in the country's history, following the decision by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). The ministry also noted the rich diversity of the Chagos Marine Protected Area, which was established in 2010 as a marine reserve encompassing 640,000sqkm of ocean region, including 70 islands and seven atolls of the Chagos Archipelago.
Additionally, the ministry praised the decision of Mauritius to designate the northern region of the Chagos Archipelago as a protected area and stated that it will allow marine life to thrive and benefit sustainable fishing and environmental protection initiatives in the Maldives. It also stated that the decision by ITLOS will strengthen efforts to reach the milestones of the biodiversity framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity and other agreements related to environmental protection.
Furthermore, the ministry revealed that a marine spatial plan will be formulated as part of the NooRaajje programme launched in partnership with the government of the Maldives and the Blue Prosperity Coalition. The ministry expressed confidence that the initiative will benefit the economy as well as the environment.