A new study presented to Parliament warns that climate change could cause fish stocks in Maldivian waters to plummet by 75 percent by the end of this century.
The findings were presented by the NGO Maldives Resilient Reefs during a joint meeting of the Parliament’s Economic Affairs Committee and Environment and Climate Change Committee.
Aminath Shaha Hashim, Executive Director of Maldives Resilient Reefs, said industrial fishing methods have largely failed elsewhere after traditional fisheries were commercialised with heavier gear. She warned that a shift to such methods in the Maldives would harm local fishermen and damage the country’s reputation for sustainable pole-and-line tuna fishing.
She argued that protecting at least 30 percent of the Maldives’ marine areas would enhance natural resilience.
Yellowfin tuna fishing in the north has come to a near-complete standstill, the organisation said. Larger vessels and rising fuel and operational costs are making the industry harder to sustain amid dwindling catches.
Official statistics show fish purchases by companies dropped by 60 percent in the first six months of this year. Skipjack tuna purchases fell more than 65 percent year-on-year.
Fishers report having to travel farther offshore, with bait fish no longer gathering as they once did and seasonal patterns disrupted.
