Jon Bowermaster editor of the new book titled Oceans, The Threats to Our Seas and What You Can Do To Turn the Tide recently interviewed President Mohammed Nasheed of the Maldives. President Nasheed is one of the most outspoken politicians in the world on the threat of climate change and its impact on all coastal areas, especially the Maldives. Oceans is an anthology of new essays by thirty of the most intriguing ocean thinkers in the world is officially released on Earth Day (this Thursday).
Jon Bowermaster: How immediate is the problem of climate change and rising seas in the Maldives today? What evidence are you seeing?
President Nasheed: Climate change is not a distant or abstract phenomenon in the Maldives. The affects of climate change are being felt today. One third of inhabited islands in the Maldives are suffering from coastal erosion, which is exacerbated by climate change. Fishermen are complaining that weather patterns have become unpredictable and warmer and more acidic seas threaten our coral reefs. If the world fails to curb carbon dioxide emissions and global temperatures continue to soar, these problems will worsen over the coming decades.
President Nasheed, left, after his underwater cabinet meeting
JB: Have sea levels risen already?
PN: The Environment Ministry calculates that sea levels in the Maldives are rising by 0.7 mm per year, which is around the global average. The big fear, however, is that this rise in sea level accelerates as climate change starts to rise even more towards the end of this century. This is a concern not just to the Maldives, but all low-lying areas around the world. A one-meter rise in sea levels, which some climate scientists warn will happen if nothing is done to reduce carbon pollution, would be devastating for the Maldives. Such a rise would also inundate other low-lying countries such as Bangladesh and the Netherlands and seriously threaten many of the world’s coastal cities. We must not allow this to happen.
Back in March this year, the Maldivian government announced their plans to implement a complete ban on shark fishing across the entire archipelago within a 12 nautical mile radius.
Now, at the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission, it was made clear that this initiative will be in full effect by March 2010.
Dr Hussein Rasheed Hassan, the Maldives Minister of State for Fisheries and Agriculture, stated “We have realised that it is more economically viable to leave the shark and other sea creatures unharmed because the country currently earns about $7 million annually from the diving industry.” (more…)
Manta Rays and whale sharks have been somewhat scarce at Hanifaru for the last 10 days, with a combination of rough seas, low plankton concentrations and neap tides the likely culprits for their absence. After a few weeks of thick clouds and torrential rain, the sun is now finally beginning to grace the skies again and has kick started the famed productivity for which these seas are known. Across much of the atoll the visibility has dropped to less than 7 m and the water’s greenish tinge indicates it is already dense with phytoplankton. Zooplankton armies are already on the march to feast on the phytoplankton and form the foundations of the manta ray and whale shark food web. In a few days time around the full moon another bout of spectacular mass feeding should be upon us.
In the meantime I took advantage of these manta-less days and visited Dhonfanu, a Small Island situated less then 1 km from Hanifaru Bay. Dhonfanu is one of the only two communities in Baa Atoll that has a long history of hunting whale sharks and manta rays. Whale sharks were always the preferred prize with the up to 200 liters of oil in their livers used by the islands boat builders to seal the hulls of fishing boats (dhonies) from the elements. Manta Rays were only targeted when whale sharks were scarce as their livers held far less oil. There is also talk that the leathery skin of manta rays was used to cover Bodu Beru drums, an important centerpiece in many Maldivian celebrations and rituals. The hides of stingrays were definitely used, but my hunt for an actual manta ray skin drum or definitive oral history still continuous.
The tools of ex-whale shark and manta ray hunters on Dhonfanu Island, Baa Atoll, Maldives.
My seaplane touched down at last light on August 14th 2009 settling on the choppy waters of Baa Atoll during a welcome lull in successive monsoon squalls. I can’t really think of a better birthday gift then returning to one of my favorite places on earth. Just over a year had passed since I last visited this northern corner of the Maldives to photograph a story on manta rays for the July 2009 issue of National Geographic Magazine. Hanifaru Island, situated at the atoll’s eastern edge is the home of the world’s largest manta ray feeding aggregation and became my most productive photo location of that expedition. Back then Hanifaru enjoyed no protection from fishing and was in danger of being overrun by well meaning tourists.
On World Oceans Day 2009 however all that changed for the better when the waters surrounding the island were proclaimed a marine protected area. The foresightedness and environmental ethos of the newly elected Maldives government, the hard work of Save our Seas Foundation marine biologist Guy Stevens and National Geographic magazine’s ability to reach more than 50 million people around the globe has given Hanifaru’s manta rays and whale sharks a fighting chance to survive into perpetuity.
The photo story Feeding Frenzy by Save Our Seas Foundation Chief Photographer Thomas P. Peschak appears in the July issue of National Geographic magazine. The 32 different language editions of the magazine introduces the manta rays of the Maldives and the pioneering research of Save Our Seas Foundation scientist Guy Stevens to more than 50 million readers. In recent news, the Maldivian government has proclaimed the research site, Hanifaru, a marine protected area which will aid in the conservation of these beautiful creatures.
The Save Our Seas Foundation is committed to preserving our marine environment for future generations. With your help we can and will make a difference. Find out how you can support our work.
On World Oceans Day 2009 however all that changed for the better when the waters surrounding the island were proclaimed a marine protected area. The foresightedness and environmental ethos of the newly elected Maldives government, the hard work of Save our Seas Foundation marine biologist Guy Stevens and National Geographic magazine’s ability to reach more than 50 million people around the globe has given Hanifaru’s manta rays and whale sharks a fighting chance to survive into perpetuity.
