Pres. Muizzu approves Gulper shark fishing despite strong public opposition

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration has authorized the resumption of Gulper shark fishing in the Maldives, despite a national survey showing that a clear majority of citizens oppose lifting the long-standing ban.

The President’s Office published a new regulation in the government gazette on Friday, establishing a framework for managing and controlling Gulper shark fishing activities.

The regulation introduces a licensing system for all entities involved, including fishing vessels, processing facilities, as well as shark supply operators, and mandates the formation of a committee within six months to oversee implementation and review of the shark management plan.

Public opposition ignored

The decision contradicts findings from a national survey conducted by the Blue Marine Foundation, Maldives Resilient Reefs, and the Maldivian Shark Program. The survey revealed that 77 percent of respondents oppose reopening the Gulper shark fishery, while 61 percent recognized that the Maldives is one of only 17 designated shark sanctuaries in the world.

The Maldives banned all forms of shark fishing in 2010, a move widely praised as a landmark in marine conservation and one that helped secure the nation’s reputation as an international leader in sustainable ocean management.

The reintroduction of Gulper shark fishing not only threatens this status but also risks breaching international commitments under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Environmental and economic concerns

The government’s decision primarily affects the Gulper shark, a slow-growing deep-sea species targeted for its liver oil, which is rich in squalene, a substance used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The species is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, and studies have shown that its population in Maldivian waters declined by 97 percent between 1982 and 2002.

Environmental experts warn that resuming gulper shark fishing could devastate an already fragile population and cause cascading ecological impacts. The Gulper shark’s slow reproductive rate makes it highly vulnerable to overexploitation, and further depletion could lead to its local extinction.

Impact on Maldives’ global image

The decision also raises concerns about potential damage to the Maldives’ international reputation and tourism industry. The nation’s status as a shark sanctuary has been a cornerstone of its global environmental image and a major draw for dive tourism. Many conservationists fear that lifting the ban could undermine the Maldives’ credibility as a responsible steward of marine biodiversity and harm a tourism sector that relies heavily on the country’s rich underwater ecosystems.

Calls for reversal

Environmental organizations have urged the Muizzu administration to reconsider the decision and maintain the shark sanctuary status. They have also appealed to the international community to pressure the government to reverse course through renewed advocacy campaigns, including a global petition modeled after the successful 2024 effort that halted the introduction of longline fishing in Maldivian waters.

Despite widespread opposition from scientists, environmental groups and the public, the government has moved ahead with a policy that appears to prioritize short-term commercial interests over long-term ecological sustainability, a decision that could have lasting consequences for the nation’s environment, economy and international standing.