Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture has revealed shark meat and fins are being processed and exported through a black market in the Maldives.
The fisheries ministry stated it has received information that shark meat and fins acquired through illegal shark fishing in the Maldives is being processed and exported in a black market. The ministry said special measures are being implemented to stop the export of shark meat and fins from the Maldives. As such, the ministry said export containers with certain types of products are being checked extensively, while Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF)’s Coast Guard have strengthened the patrol of areas where illegal shark fishing is believed to be carried out.
Revealing details of some of the successful operations carried out to stop the export of shark meat and fins from the Maldives, the fisheries ministry revealed a shipment of shark fin had been seized by the Maldives Customs Service in January while it was being exported. The ministry also noted MPS had seized a shark fishing vessel near Alifu Dhaalu Atoll on March 22, with a large number of sharks caught by the vessel.
Shark fishing was declared illegal in the Maldives in 2010 to revive the deteriorating population of sharks in the Maldives. As part of the measures implemented in 2010, processing and exporting shark meat and fin were also declared illegal.