Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim has announced a new regulation requiring the installation of propeller guards on vessels operating in territories where whale sharks are active. The measure will be part of efforts to protect the species and its natural habitat sustainably.
Speaking on a PSM News programme about the efforts being made to maintain the protected areas of the Maldives, the Minster said while 93 percent of the Maldives’ territory is designated as protected, only five locations are actively managed. Of these locations, the South Ari Marine Park (SAMPA) in Alif Dhaal Atoll, the largest protected area in the Maldives, sees significant tourist traffic daily, he noted. Although efforts have been undertaken in the past to manage this area effectively, the efforts have been insufficient, leading to unfortunate incidents in the past, he added.
“Sometimes, over 100 tourists swim after a single whale shark; there is no set policy. Even speedboats venture into this area,” the Minister noted.
The Minister said the new regulation requiring propeller guards is not limited to SAMPA, and the protocol has to be followed in other areas where whale shark activity is observed. The protocol will be implemented within the next three months, and special speedboat will be active in these areas to monitor the activity of other vessel that take tourists to these sites, he added. Furthermore, all vessels that go to these areas must be registered within three months. Including these measures, the special regulations on protecting whale sharks and their habitats will be gazetted soon, he said.
Last year, a legal framework was formulated to protect whale sharks and their natural habitat. The policies include precautions that must be taken in interacting with these creatures and how to manage an injured or unwell whale shark. As per the policy, a distance of 250 meters around a whale shark is considered a contact zone, where only three vessels can be active at a time. While in these zones, the speed of the vessels must not exceed 5 knots per hour, and when in the vicinity of a whale shark, the speed must not exceed 2 knots per hour. However, in emergency situations where the contact zone must be immediately exited, speed restrictions do not apply.