Hanifaru reef damage assessment ongoing
A team from Environment Protection Agency together with Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve Office is at present undertaking a survey to assess the damage caused to the reef due to the grounding of a vessel on 25 october 2016.
The damage assessment survey will be conducted from 1 to 3 November and once the survey is completed survey findings will be send to EPA for further action.
The vessel ran aground on to the reef of Hanifaru on the evening of 25 October. Upon receiving this news a team comprising of Biosphere Reserve Office staff and Maldives Police Services attended the scene with guidance provided by Environmental Protection Agency.
Efforts to salvage the vessel began the following morning and was floated back to sea on 28 October.
Environment Minister inaugurates Sharks and Ray Symposium
The Government of the Maldives, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Four Seasons Resort at Landaa Giraavaru, in partnership with The Manta Trust, hosted a ministerial Indian Ocean Shark and Ray Conservation Symposium from 25 October to 26 October 2016 at Four Seasons Resort at Landaa Giraavaru.
This special meeting took place between the Maldivian, Sri Lankan, and Seychelles Ministers of Environment and Fisheries and focused on the global crisis faced by sharks and rays. Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Maldives, Mr. Abdulla Mohamed Didi, Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, Sri Lanka, Hon. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera. Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Maldives: Mr. Ahmed Hafiz, Special Advisor to the Minister of Environment Dr. Abdulla Naseer attended the meeting on behalf of their respective organizations.
The meeting was inaugurated by the Minister of Environment and Energy Mr.Ibrahim Thoriq, and in his opening remarks he highlighted on the urgent need for sharks and rays to be protected and highlighted on the Governments initiatives being undertaken at international level.
The meeting concluded with a declaration tabled by the Maldivian government and signed by all Ministers present, agreeing to work together to protect the sharks and rays across the Indian Ocean. During the meeting it was stated by the Maldives that they will be submitting a proposal to the upcoming CITES meeting to include all silky sharks under Appendix II of CITES.
8th meeting of the South and Central Asia UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Network (SACAM)
The 8th meeting of the South and Central Asia UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Network (SACAM) was held from October 24-25 , 2016 in Almaty (Holiday Inn Almaty Hotel) The meeting is organized by the National Commission of the Republic of Kazakstan for UNESCO and aISESCO, Kazakstan National Committee for UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” Program (MAB), ECO Science Foundation and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.
Two participants from Baa atoll Biosphere Reserve took part in this meeting together with a representative from Ministry of Environment and Energy bringing together the South and Central Asian Biosphere Reserves together to discuss BR issues at a country level.