Maldives to legalize shark fishing

Fisheries Minister Zaha Waheed | Photo: Fayaz Moosa

Malé, Maldives – Maldives Minister of Fisheries Zaha Waheed has said that discussions are in progress to legalize shark fishing in the Maldives.

While speaking at the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs Minister Zaha Waheed said that since fisheries is an industry which is supposed to generate revenue for the state, shark fishing is a profitable strategy. Therefore, the Fisheries Ministry is conducting discussions to legalize shark fishing.

Very few countries implement shark conservation. Since it is a means to generate profit we don’t have to limit ourselves. [We can] open [shark fishing] as a manage fishery for a certain duration and fish without endangering the shark population.

Fisheries Minister Zaha Waheed

Sharks have become a point of conversation among public spheres with concerns raised about over population of sharks in Maldivian waters and recent shark attacks.