Maldives Victory shipwreck, Kaashidhoo wetlands designated as areas for conservation

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has designated the Maldives Victory shipwreck site and the Kaashidhoo wetlands as areas for conservation, with Minister of Environment Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan sharing the gazetted order on Saturday, the 40th anniversary of the sinking of the Maldives Victory cargo ship.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih made the decision following a virtual cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where Minister of Environment Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan presented a paper on why the conservation was necessary for the Maldives Victory wreck and Kaashidhoo wetlands, noting their historical and environmental significance. (Locally, the wetlands in question are known as Kaashidhoo chasbin).

Environment Minister Dr. Hussain Hassan shared the official order declaring the two sites as listed for conservation in a tweet on Tuesday 13 February. Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of the sinking of Maldives Victory, which was an 83-meter-long cargo ship carrying goods from Singapore, that sank to the south-west of Hulhule' island in North Male' atoll 40 years ago on Friday, 13 February 1981. Minister Dr. Hussain Hassan described the site as one of the most popular shipwreck dive sites in the Maldives.

In addition to this, Dr. Hussain Hassan in his paper also detailed the significance of the Kaashidhoo wetlands from an environmental perspective, which ultimately led to the area also being listed for conservation under Saturday's order by the Environment Ministry. Speaking at Wednesday's cabinet meeting, Dr. Hussain Hassan detailed that the Kaashidhoo wetlands were one of three islands in the Maldives home to indigenous tortoise populations, with the site reporting the most frequent sightings above the other two locations.

The Kaashidhoo wetlands have been declared as protected under sustainable use in light of the abundant natural resources of the island and its diverse ecosystem.

With the Maldives Victory shipwreck and the Kaashidhoo wetlands having been added as the most recent entries into the areas listed for conservation in the Maldives, a total of 71 sites in the country are now protected under Article 4 of the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of Maldives (Act No: 4/93).

The incumbent Solih administration aims to have at least one island, one reef and one mangrove listed for conservation from every atoll of the Maldives, in order to preserve the nation's natural assets for future generations.