Comprehensive management of SAMPA requested, including more rangers

A request has been filed with the Parliament seeking comprehensive management of South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), which is home to a large number of whale sharks, including increasing rangers and resources to monitor the site permanently.

The letter addressed to Parliament Speaker Abdulla Raheem seeking expedited steps for the management of SAMPA was submitted North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo). The letter stressed that the area is presently poorly managed.

Kudoo stressed that the state of the area was deteriorating day by day and in this regard, shared concerns raised research conducted by the Maldives Whale Shark Research Program. They include:

• Overcrowding among tourists going to sight whale sharks at SAMPA
• Injuries of various extents to whale sharks
• Safaris accessing the area at night with lights, touching whale sharks and harming them
• The decrease in whale shark sightings from 48 percent to 35 percent between 2014 to 2019
• Increased chances of whale sharks being injured due to difficulties in monitoring arising from vessel overcrowding
• Major injuries to 61 percent of whale sharks sighted between 2014 to 2019

Kudoo, citing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had commenced efforts to monitor SAMPA on January 31^st, raised questions as to whether they can be properly implemented in light of the size of the area.

He added that SAMPA, at present, required an adaptive management strategy, as its current state as a free raid area since declared protected would require comprehensive measures to shift the actions of the tourists visiting the site.

“The purpose of this is to decrease vessels, decrease injuries to whale sharks, a sustainable source of income for tour operators and ensure sustainable tourism,” he said.

One of the most important things that could be done for the area as cited by the parliamentarian is establishing a continuous presence of rangers in the area for monitoring purposes. He noted that the actions of tour operators and tourists would see shift once rangers are stationed permanently in the area.

“Although there are four rangers active in SAMPA at present, it is not enough considering the size of the area,” he added.

Kudoo warned of irrevocable losses if these measures are not taken, and as such, requested to summon senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and EPA to Parliament’s Government Oversight Committee to expedite the implementation of the proposed measures.