Grouper Fishery Management Plan

The Maldives Grouper Fishery Management Plan is the main guiding principle for managing the grouper fishery in the Maldives. This plan was made public and came into effect on 17 December 2020.

This management plan was formulated under Article 18 of the Maldives Fisheries Act. This is the plan for planning, managing, and administering fisheries, as stated in Article 17(a)(6) of the Act.

Main Objectives of the Plan:

(a) To establish a system for planning and managing the grouper fishery in the Maldives, to manage the grouper fishery responsibly, to manage activities that may affect grouper species, and to ensure the benefits of this fishery are provided to the Maldivian people for the long term.

(b) To guide state institutions and all stakeholders involved in the sustainable development of the grouper fishery and trade.

The species managed under the Maldives Grouper Fishery Management Plan are grouper species belonging to the Epinephelinae subfamily, Perciformes order, Serranidae family, and other marine life caught, fished, or extracted in fisheries targeting these species.

This plan will apply to all activities conducted in the Maldives that may affect grouper species. This includes grouper fishing, conducting fisheries-related activities, aquaculture, processing, buying and selling, and exporting grouper products from the Maldives. In addition, the plan will apply to individuals, vessels, and processing and exporting facilities conducting an activity within the scope of the plan or an activity related to such an activity.

While more than 160 grouper species belonging to 16 genera have been recorded worldwide, 41 of these species have been recorded in the Maldives.