General Fisheries Regulation of the Maldives [Regulation No. R-75/2020].

This Regulation is made pursuant to the Fisheries Act of Maldives (Act No.14/2019) and consists of 13 Chapters: 1. General Provisions; 2. Fishing using a net for personal consumption; 3. Fishing from lagoon waters; 4. Determination of lagoon area; 5. Best Practices and guidelines for Fishery; 6. Scuba Diving for fishery; 7. Prohibited species of fish for harvesting, catching, taking and killing; and prohibited species of fish for export and import; 8. Placement of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) and managing the use of FADs for fishing; 9. Sharing of information and collection and management of information; 10. Fisheries Observers and Fisheries Rangers; 11. Fisheries Registry; 12. Penalization; 13. Definitions.
Chapter 1 provides for the short title, applicability, exemptions and commencement provisions. Chapter 2 prohibits fishing certain varieties of fish for personal consumption using a net and any fish outside lagoon waters of islands. Chapter 3 requires policies and regulations by the Councils, for management of fishing and fishing activities in the lagoon waters of the islands, to be in accordance with the Act and Regulations and Plans thereunder. Chapter 4 lays down the procedure to determine lagoon area of islands. Chapter 5 requires fishermen and all related parties to observe best practices for the preservation of marine resources and their ecosystems in Maldives. It also lists the prohibited activities in fisheries including fishing in protected areas. Foreigners may work on fishing vessels after obtaining a work permit. Chapter 6 prohibits scuba dive or sending any person for bait fishing or fishing without a receiving a certificate.
Chapter 7 prohibits harvesting, catching, taking, killing or keeping in the vessel any type of fish stipulated in Schedule 2. Exporting any species of fish or products stipulated in Schedule 3 is also prohibited. Chapter 8 deals with management of Fish Aggregating Devices and imposes certain restrictions on their usage. Chapter 9 requires parties that conduct fishery or related activities to provide information or statistics as per the guidelines of Ministry. Chapter 10 authorizes the Ministry to employ Fisheries Rangers and Fisheries Observers for the collection of relevant data, reporting and monitoring of vessels and enforcement of the Fisheries Act of Maldives and Regulations made thereunder. It also lays down the requirements, responsibilities and code of conduct of Fisheries Rangers and Fisheries Observers. Chapter 11 requires the Ministry to compile and keep up-to-date, a Registry of all parties conducting fishery in the Maldives. Chapter 12 penalizes the violation of the Regulations and Schedules 4 & 5 lists the offenses and the respective fines. Chapter 13 contains the definitions.