The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) has passed a resolution setting the maximum catch limits for each country to sustainably manage the stocks of bigeye and yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean. As a member of the commission, the Maldives is obligated to implement its decisions at the national level.
Under the IOTC's decision, Maldivian vessels have been allocated a maximum catch limit, or quota, of 2,000 tonnes for bigeye tuna. The quota for yellowfin tuna is set at 47,000 tonnes per year. However, over the past two years, Maldivian vessels have only caught approximately 30,000 tonnes of yellowfin tuna.
As a result, the Fisheries Ministry has stated that it is important to fully utilize the allocated quota, as there is a possibility that the Maldives' current quota could be reduced when the IOTC reviews quotas in the future based on the catch levels of member countries.
Therefore, with the aim of further developing the Maldives' tuna fishery, the Cabinet has decided to reopen longline fishing in the country. Following this decision, a draft regulation on longline fishing was formulated and published on the Fisheries Ministry's website on August 5, 2024. The opportunity to submit feedback and comments on this regulation is open until August 18, 2024.
In reopening longline fishing, special provisions have been included in the regulation to ensure that the fishery is beneficial to Maldivians and conducted in accordance with laws and regulations, taking into account past experiences with longline fishing in the Maldives. The regulation outlines mandatory standards that vessels must meet to maintain the safety and security of the crew.
Furthermore, to properly monitor and manage fishing activities on the vessels, the regulation mandates the installation of a Vessel Locating Device and an Electronic Monitoring System, as well as obtaining a departure clearance permit before embarking on each fishing trip. The regulation designates the permitted area for longline fishing as an area outside the zones commonly frequented by handline tuna fishers, based on information and statistics received by the Ministry. This area is defined as the zone extending south from 6 degrees North latitude, beyond 100 miles from the archipelagic baseline of the Maldives.
Expanding the Maldives' fisheries and economic activities to increase profitability is a goal of the current government. Under this regulation, sharks caught as bycatch in longline fishing, along with other non-target species, can be brought ashore in accordance with internationally recognized best practices and standards, and processed at facilities licensed to process shark products. However, the Ministry has clarified that this does not mean shark fishing is being opened in the Maldives, nor is it a step taken with the intention of opening it.
Targeting sharks on vessels licensed for longline fishing is prohibited under this regulation. The regulation has also been designed to include necessary measures to reduce bycatch, such as sharks, caught in longline fishing. To minimize shark bycatch, the regulation stipulates that wire or wire traces must not be used as the leader on the branch lines used on the vessels.
