In response to the publication of a draft management plan for reopening gulper shark fisheries in the Maldives, the undersigned 60 local and international organisations and 50 scientists have urgently called on the Government of the Maldives to halt these plans.
The organisations sent an open letter to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam, and Minister of Tourism and Environment Thoriq Ibrahim, citing concerns over the environmental, economic, and legal implications of the proposal.
The letter highlights issues such as the vulnerability of gulper sharks to overexploitation, the absence of stock assessments and the lack of meaningful stakeholder consultations.
