17/08/2021
Sad news from our beloved Rasdhoo & Madivaru area - one of the best dive sites and beautiful sand banks of Maldives. Reclamation works are highly damaging to the Ocean, reefs and its inhabitants. Sadly, for the entire history of mankind money and greed rule the world...
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We are saddened to hear about the reclaimation work that is being carried out within the Rasdhoo-Madivaru region.
The area around Rasdhoo is a popular scuba-diving and snorkeling location due to its coral reef ecosystem and notable sightings of hammerhead sharks throughout the year. Not far from Rasdhoo, less than 1km in fact, is Madivaru Finolhu, a beautiful sandbank. If you have traveled with us on our North Ari Island Hopping tour you may well have visited to picnic, sunbathe or just enjoy the sunset.
There is almost a sense of history repeating itself. In 2015 locals campaigned against the potential development of picnic islands under the banner “Save Madivaru”. With the support of evidence in a report presented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature they won and the area of Rasdhoo-Madivaru, which encompasses three sandbanks and four islands, was designated as marine protected in October 2018.
Fishing, sand mining, removal of stones, collecting shells and littering are banned in protected areas.
According to the environment ministry in 2018, the Rasdhoo-Madivaru area is classified under category one as an “Internationally Recognised Area” and under category six as a “Habitat/Species Management Area.”
The Rasdhoo atoll reef is also internationally recognised as an “Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Area” under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
Going back even further in 1975, a small island to the west of Rasdhoo was sold to a developer without (allegedly) the consent of its residents, to become what is now Kuramathi Resort and locals living on that island were relocated to Rasdhoo.
Whilst we may not be armed at this stage with all the facts we do know for sure that this area is protected, is naturally beautiful and is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.
We call on the authorities, governments bodies and the EPA to assist in resolving this current situation and prevent further damage to this area.
