The other plastic pollution issue we are facing is the use of plastic straws in Fuvahmulah. As we aim to make Fuvahmulah a plastic straw free island, we thank @coolbananmv for being the first restaurant to eliminate the use of plastic straws.

Another serious plastic pollution that needs addressing is the incessant use of plastic shopping bags. These plastics take nearly 1000 years to break down. Unfortunately, these do not completely degrade but break down into micro plastics. Micro plastics continue to pollute the environment as marine fish are dying from ingesting them. As this form of plastic pollution moves up the food chain, the toxicity increases, and eventually ends up on our plates. Micro plastics are now traceable in our blood stream as proven in a recent scientific research.

Through our non-profit organization, @naturefriendsofmaldives and partnerships, we aim to educate and normalize the use of reusable shopping bags. They are also available for sale at our Fuvahmulah dive centre. Proceeds from the sale of these reusable shopping bags will go towards our home water filter project.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Maldives have a big plastic pollution problem?

Yes, the Maldives have a big plastic pollution problem as the country uses a lot of single-use plastic water bottles and plastic bags. At the moment there are no feasible and affordable methods to recycle plastic wastes although there are efforts by organizations to collect and send plastic wastes to Male and abroad for recycling.

2. What is being done to reduce the plastic pollution problem in Maldives?

To reduce the plastic pollution problem in Maldives, the local government has banned the production and sale of single-use plastics since June 2022. The government is aiming to phase out single-use plastics by 2023.

3. How can I do my part in the plastic pollution problem in Maldives?

Visitors can play a part in the plastic pollution problem in Maldives by avoiding bringing in plastic when travelling to the Maldives or properly disposing of any plastic waste if brought into the country and using a reusable water bottle.

The post Other Plastic Pollution Issues appeared first on Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah.

We are raising funds to purchase home RO water filters via our NGO Nature Friends of Maldives and partnerships with Ocean Ramsey and Juan Oliphant from One Ocean Diving, One Ocean Conservation and Save The Sea Turtles International. The installation of these water filters in households will eventually minimize the need for plastic water bottles.

However, the largest consumers of plastic water bottles are the restaurants and guesthouses. For a viable long-term solution, we are in plans to build an industrial water filtering and bottling plant. This water plant will eliminate the need for these businesses to purchase single-use plastic water bottles.

The glass bottles will have the branding of each participating restaurant and guesthouse. Each glass water bottle will also include a Say No To Plastic message to raise awareness. Restaurants and guesthouses need only exchange their empty glass bottles with filled ones. The water plant will be responsible for sterilizing, refilling, and delivering these glass bottles.

The post Water Filtering & Bottling Plant appeared first on Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah.

Fuvahmulah discards over 2.4 million plastic water bottles at the landfill annually. Unfortunately, plastics take at least 450 years to completely degrade. As the plastics breakdown into micro plastics, it for certainly makes it into our food source. It is now scientifically proven these micro plastics are consequently found in our bloodstream. The plastic wastes that are in the landfill are also leaching chemicals into the ground, eventually compromising our freshwater sources too.

At the present time, we are raising funds to purchase home RO water filters to reduce plastic water bottle consumption. We have partnered up with Ocean Ramsey and Juan Oliphant from One Ocean Diving, One Ocean Conservation and Save The Sea Turtles International, on this home water filter project. It is our goal over the next 2 years to have water filters in each Fuvahmulah household that will need one.

The installation of first 30 water filters that arrived in early 2022 went successfully. Families have shared they have since saved approximately US$100 per month for a household of 4 persons. This is equivalent to about 100 plastic water bottles per month.

Meanwhile, we have launched the second round of fundraising in early May 2022 with aims to raise US$100,000. This enables us to purchase and install about 400 water filters. To date, there are about 600 households, out of 2860, in Fuvahmulah that have water filters installed in their homes. We have since donated and installed, in mid-2023, another 60 units to lower income households in Fuvahmulah.

Watch our video on the water filter project and read more about our Water Filtering & Bottling Plant project.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What can I do to help the Fuvahmulah plastic water bottle project?

You could help the Fuvahmulah plastic water bottle project by making a donation via our partner Save The Sea Turtles International, a foundation by One Ocean Conservation.

2. Does the Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah dive center have filtered water?

Yes, Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah dive center has a triple water filtration system installed. We provide free drinking water for divers and they can bring their reusable water bottle to refill drinking water too.

3. How can I get drinking water in Fuvahmulah?

Drinking water in Fuvahmulah is readily available at guesthouses and restaurants. However, to reduce the purchase of single use water bottles, we encourage our divers to refill their reusable water bottles with drinking water provided at the dive center and our partner hotel, Ataraxis Grand & Spa.

The post Our Plastic Bottle Problem appeared first on Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah.

Fuvahmulah has many natural blessings. As a matter of fact, we are the only single island atoll in Maldives and known as Maldives shark island. Scuba diving in Maldives is always spectacular but Fuvahmulah diving sites are a pelagic haven. Due to the unique geography of Fuvahmulah, divers get the opportunity to potentially dive with seven types of rare sharks.

Renowned Tiger Shark Diving in Maldives

Tiger Harbour is the infamous shark diving site in Fuvahmulah. Sightings of tiger sharks are throughout the year and to date, there are over 200 identified individuals in Fuvahmulah. Tiger shark diving in Fuvahmulah is the only shark diving site that guarantees divers tiger shark encounters.

Divers have one of the best opportunities in the world to encounter thresher sharks when shark diving in Fuvahmulah. The cleaning stations in the shallow waters draw these elusive sharks that are usually in deeper waters.

In the right conditions, divers can watch in awe as schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks cruise the currents. These oddly shaped head sharks usually start to make an appearance in October and can sometimes last till April. The majestic whale sharks, also referred to as gentle giants of the ocean, often visit Fuvahmulah between January to May. The silver tip, grey reef and white tip sharks are some of the other shark species that complete this rich ecosystem.

Fuvahmulah Diving Sites

Alongside shark diving in Maldives, oceanic mantas passes Fuvahmulah island between March to May. Pelagic fish are huge schools of tuna, jack fish, barracudas, trevallies, rainbow runners and countless other marine life.

The island has some of the best dive sites in Maldives, including the house coral reef with over 100% coverage. Similarly, our baseline data research also shows that the coral reefs are healthy and stable. To illustrate the health of the reef, the research team found coral species that are on the edge of extinction.

Sustainability and Conservation

Evidently, due to its distinct island features, UNESCO had listed Fuvahmulah as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2020. Given these points, it is important to realize that environmental sustainability and conservation should be a priority. We should encourage a more sustainable living to protect our natural treasure – our island, oceans, coral reefs and marine life.

Our commitment to sustain, conserve and protect our oceans, coral reef and marine life, is one that we take seriously. We will continue fighting for a future where we are still able to experience amazing tiger shark diving in Maldives. Not only that but also to witness other majestic marine fauna and healthy coral reefs when experience Fuvahmulah diving.

Join us on our conservation journey with our non-profit organization @naturefriendsofmaldives, and in collaboration with @oneoceandiving @oceanramsey @juanshark

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What conservation efforts are there in Fuvahmulah?

There are a few conservation efforts in Fuvahmulah that we have initiated – home water filter project, coral baseline data research, tiger shark ID and weekly tiger shark presentation.

2. What is the water filter project in Fuvahmulah?

The water filter project in Fuvahmulah is a project we started in early 2022. We raised funds and purchased 30 home mini RO water filters which have been installed in local homes. We organized a second fundraiser and have managed to raise enough funds to further purchase another 60 mini RO water filters to be installed in Fuvahmulah homes.

3. What tiger shark conservation efforts are done in Fuvahmulah?

Tiger shark conservation efforts in Fuvahmulah started about 6 years ago with the tiger shark ID. Together with another dive center, we have identified 248 individual tiger sharks that frequent Tiger Harbour. We also hold a weekly presentation on tiger sharks that are open to anyone on the island to join and come learn and share more about these apex predators.

The post Conservation appeared first on Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah.