Protected Areas Regulation (No. 2018/R-78).

These Regulations make provision with respect to protected areas, defined as 1. Areas declared as protected areas; 2. Areas protected pursuant to Act No: 4/93; 3. Areas legally protected prior or after coming into force of these Regulations. The objective of this Regulation is; (a) to establish effective guidelines for declaration and management of protected areas; (b) to ensure that the process of protected area declaration is consultative transparent; (c) to enlist environmentally significant areas in the Maldives; (d) to establish and sustainably a mechanism to maintain a framework for protected areas; (e) to enhance awareness and participation of community in protected area designation and management; (f) to ensure future generations benefit from natural resources, ecosystem services and biodiversity richness of the country. The Regulations define the relationship with other legislation applying to specific protected areas. The Environmental Protection Agency shall be the administrative body for purposes of these Regulations.
Protected areas shall be declared by the Ministry and shall be classified as Internationally recognised areas, Strict nature reserve, Wilderness Areas, National Park, Natural Monument, Habitat/Species Managed area or Protected areas with sustainable use. A protected area may be zoned and classified as more than one category. Management of Protected Area may be assigned to a state institution or another entity. Assignment to another entity shall be done by a mutually agreed arrangement. A management Plan shall be prepared to manage the protected area. The Regulations contains some rules regarding (monitoring of) activities in protected areas.