Shark feeding is illegal in the Maldives. It shouldn't be Fuvahmulah's business model.
Tiger Zoo promises guaranteed sightings. The sharks are paying for it.
Artwork: Dosain
2 hours ago
Tiger Zoo is a popular diving site in Fuvahmulah and it's no secret local dive centres engage in shark feeding here on a daily basis. Local dive centres attract tiger sharks with tuna heads promising tourists guaranteed sightings of the threatened sharks up close. The tiger sharks generally live in deeper water but feeding attracts them to shallower depths where divers lie on the seabed. The novelty of this tourism experience creates tensions with conservation concerns.
Despite notices circulated by the ministry of tourism to local dive centres and liveaboards stating shark feeding is illegal and unsafe, local dive centres continue to practise shark feeding to attract tourists. While the practice is harmful to the sharks, it's been good for the local economy of Fuvahmulah and has put the small island atoll on scuba divers' bucket lists globally.
"Shark feeding poses a long-term threat to sharks. It can change their natural behaviour and they begin to associate humans with food, increasing their tendency to approach divers. Feeding can also cause a frenzy among sharks competing for food, increasing the risk of a bite without intent," says Martina Zimmitti, an Italian marine biologist and scuba diver based in the Maldives.
A common misconception is promoted among tourists by local dive centres in Fuvahmulah to portray shark feeding as ethical. Many tourists are told that shark feeding is only done with pregnant female sharks who face threats from aggressive male sharks during mating season. This is misleading. Shark feeding takes place all year round and all sharks are attracted to the site.
A dive centre cannot control the sex of the sharks attracted to the feeding area. The site attracts both male and female sharks, potentially increasing risks for pregnant sharks due to encounters with aggressive males rather than ensuring their safety.
"Artificial feeding disrupts natural reproductive behaviour among sharks by concentrating them in unnatural conditions and altering movement patterns needed for mating," says Zimmitti.
A potential solution is for local dive centres to promote the element of surprise during dives instead of promising sightings. Lorenzo Montalbetti, marine biologist and One Ocean Foundation ambassador says: "Divers can be educated to embrace nature's uncertainty. This creates a feeling of awe rather than showcasing tiger sharks as animals we can tame with food."
While tourism due to tiger shark feeding might boost economic activity on Fuvahmulah in the short term, it poses a significant threat to tourism over the long term because of the ecological imbalance created by artificial feeding. "Artificial feeding causes sharks to lose their ability to hunt actively, causing prey populations to explode. This creates an imbalance and has cascading negative effects," says Montalbetti.
Globally, there has been a 70 percent decline in shark and ray populations, mainly from overfishing. The Maldives government has reopened the gulper shark fishery. The Indian Ocean is among the worst affected regions. Forty-three percent of shark and ray species are threatened. Shark feeding is a significant threat among already declining populations.
Fuvahmulah has seen a boost in economic activity and tourism. But it has come at the cost of the welfare of marine life. There are community-centric solutions which can be implemented and policy actions which could create a win-win for locals and marine life.
Vidhi Bubna is a master scuba diver and coral conservationist. As a journalist, Vidhi covers women’s rights, climate change and global travel.
All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of the Maldives Independent. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to editorial@maldivesindependent.com.
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