Maldivian hypocrisy on climate change revisited
In a shocking turn of events, the Government has brought an amendment to the General Fisheries Regulation, released on 13th June 2023, which has started allowing for divers to fish for sea cucumbers.
The move towards protecting the environment and living a more sustainable life involves much more than reducing plastic usage and composting your food waste. When it comes to sustainability and looking to build a greener future, one of the biggest steps towards this initiative is taking care of the environment that we live in on a large scale. Looking out for not just our future, but the future of all the creatures that live on this planet, both above and within the waters.
The Maldives, being a small island nation heavily reliant on its marine resources for economic sustenance, has consistently prioritized the protection of marine life within its waters. In the 1990s, the Maldivian Government introduced a regulation prohibiting the fishing of sea cucumbers during diving excursions. This proactive measure was driven by the concerning decline in the sea cucumber population within the Maldives, rendering them increasingly scarce. Recognizing the potential threat of extinction looming over this species, the government decided to take action in order to safeguard their survival.
One of the biggest reasons that such measures needed to be implemented is that sea cucumbers actually hold significant importance as they play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance. Not only do they contribute to the health of coral reefs, but in doing so sea cucumbers help to cleanse and rejuvenate the surrounding environment.
While this policy that was implemented in the 90s has not changed to this date, in a shocking turn of events, the Government has brought an amendment to the General Fisheries Regulation, released on 13th June 2023, which has started allowing for divers to fish for sea cucumbers.
Following this amendment, the Environment Protection Agency has raised concerns as this might bring about some negative impact on this environment, which is why the amendment was implemented in the first place. While the Environment Protection Agency exists in order to hold the Government and other businesses accountable for the decisions that they take if it concerns the environment, the agency has stated that the Fisheries Ministry of the Maldives published this amendment without consulting the Environment Protection Agency regarding this matter.
These concerns are extremely valid as the Maldives had experienced a decline in the sea cucumber population in the past, which caused the regulation to be implemented in the first place. But now, with the Maldivian export businesses getting bigger by the day, this amendment could give people the freedom to fish sea cucumbers to extinction without giving a second thought about the consequences of such actions.
In response to the criticism, the Director General of the Fisheries Ministry stated that though it is illegal to dive for fishing sea cucumbers, many are unaware of these prohibitions and this act takes place often in the Maldives.
While the Fisheries Ministry of the Maldives has revealed that they have a few plans that are under discussion in order to increase the population of sea cucumbers in the Maldives while also discussing measures to avoid the depletion of the sea cucumber population, with the Environment Protection Agency blatantly disagreeing with this amendment it is valid for the public to raise concerns regarding this amendment.
As the Maldives heavily depends on the marine life of the Maldives and its oceans in order to not only provide food but a way of life, it is quite obvious that such measures need to be taken after thorough discussions are carried out by all parties that work towards the protection of the environment.
