Activists Resubmit Petition Over Gulper Shark Fishing Decision

Environmental activists have resubmitted a petition challenging the government’s decision to lift the ban on gulper shark fishing, a move that ended the Maldives’ status as one of the few remaining shark sanctuaries in the world.

The Maldives imposed a blanket ban on shark fishing in 2010. However, in November 2025, the government partially lifted the prohibition to permit gulper shark fishing under a regulated framework.

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Activists Humaida Abdul Gafoor and Mohamed Sineen, who previously left the Save Maldives campaign, initially filed a constitutional case with the High Court seeking to invalidate the decision. The court rejected the case in December on the grounds that the petition did not clearly establish whether the plan to allow gulper shark fishing constituted a law or a regulation. The activists have now resubmitted their petition following revisions.

Under the regulation on the management of the gulper shark fishery published by the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, fishing for the species is permitted only between 1 December and 30 June each year. Licences are limited to 40 fishing vessels. The regulation also requires exporters of gulper sharks or related products to purchase fish only from parties licensed to fish, process or supply gulper sharks.

Fines of up to MVR 400,000 are prescribed for violations of the regulation, while fishing of any other shark species may result in penalties of up to MVR 100,000.

The decision to allow gulper shark fishing has drawn concern from environmental conservation organisations including Blue Marine Foundation, Maldives Resilient Reefs and Miyaru. The groups have warned that gulper sharks are slow-growing deep-sea species with low reproductive rates, making them particularly vulnerable to overfishing.

The government has stated that the fishery is being introduced under the management plan designed to ensure sustainability and regulatory compliance.