Empowering Communities to Protect Their Ocean
MALDIVES
MARCH - APRIL 2021
WAITT
EXPEDITION
The 1,190 Maldivian islands total only 1% of the nation’s territory, making the ocean its most abundant and important resource. Understanding the ocean environment is difficult enough close to shore, but many of these unique islands, atolls, and environments are remote and hard to reach, let alone study. That’s why Noo Raajje, a collaboration between the Government of Maldives and the Blue Prosperity Coalition, decided to conduct a scientific expedition to explore and study the country’s ocean and coral reefs.
A team from the Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI), Scripps Institution of Oceanography 100 Island Challenge, and the Waitt Institute set sail on a 22-day scientific voyage, making stops at north and south Male' atolls before proceeding to the south of the country.
The first expedition, conducted in January 2020, surveyed 16 atolls, primarily in the central and northern parts of the Maldives. This second expedition was completed to form the first ever nation-wide, comprehensive assessment of the 26 Maldivian atolls.
This expedition was conducted under strict COVID-19 protocol to keep the scientists and surrounding local communities safe.
EXPEDITION
REPORT
A full expedition report and video will be released.
EXPEDITION
PARTNERS
"Policies formulated on solid scientific evidence and backed by research is essential for effective fisheries management. The information that comes out from these scientific expeditions will be crucial in our next steps towards strengthening the fisheries management framework and for realizing our vision of sustainable fisheries management."
Adam Ziyad
Director General
Fisheries Department, Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture
LINKS &
RESOURCES
Noo Raajje Begins Second Expedition to Complete Comprehensive Study of Maldivian Coral Reefs
The Work Must Go On: How to safely conduct fieldwork during a pandemic
SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL REPORTS
Coming soon.