The People’s Majlis has rejected a resolution calling for a renewed ban on shark fishing in the Maldives, despite growing environmental concerns and warnings about the long-term damage such activities could cause to the country’s marine ecosystems and tourism industry.

During Wednesday’s parliamentary sitting, 44 lawmakers of the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), which holds a supermajority, voted to reject the resolution. Only ten lawmakers supported it, MP Abbas, who submitted the resolution and nine members of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

The rejected resolution had called for a complete prohibition on shark catching and fishing, underscoring the ecological importance of sharks in maintaining marine balance. It noted that sharks are slow to mature, reproduce infrequently and have long generational intervals, factors that make them highly vulnerable to overfishing and population collapse.

Environmental advocates have long warned that lifting restrictions on shark fishing, including for species such as thresher sharks, would have irreversible effects on the ecosystem.

Sharks play a critical role as apex predators, helping sustain healthy fish populations and marine biodiversity. The resolution also cautioned that any move to permit shark fishing could undermine the Maldives’ reputation as a leading eco-friendly tourism destination and erode its international credibility in marine conservation.

Despite these concerns, ruling party lawmakers argued in favor of limited shark fishing, particularly targeting gulper sharks, claiming it would not harm the environment or the tourism sector. Their stance, however, drew criticism from conservationists and the opposition, who view the government’s position as short-sighted and driven by short-term economic interests.

With the rejection of the resolution, the Maldives risks reversing years of progress made in marine protection since the nationwide shark fishing ban was first implemented in 2010.

The decision highlights the widening divide between economic exploitation and environmental stewardship, a tension increasingly defining the country’s fisheries policy under the current administration.