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Our islands. Our reefs. Our fish.

Will you help protect them?

fish
fish
fish
fish
fish

See how you can help keep the reefs healthy

Our reefs are our home. They protect us from the sea, they provide us with food and they bring us joy. We need to keep our reefs healthy so that they can continue to provide for us.

Fishing is in our culture but if we don’t fish in the right way then we may not be able to keep fishing for generations to come. By learning more about the species that live on our reefs and which ones are vulnerable to fishing, you can help protect our reefs so that we can all #FishForTomorrow.

No take

You should not catch these species, because their populations can easily collapse and they play a crucial role in the reef ecosystem.

Bumphead parrotfish

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Bumphead parrotfish

Parrotfish

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Parrotfish

Giant clam

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Giant clam

Giant grouper

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Giant grouper

Napoleon wrasse

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Napoleon wrasse

Pregnant lobster

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Pregnant lobster

Minimum size

You should only catch these species if they have reached a certain size. Click on one to find out more.

Groupers

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Groupers

Lobster

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Lobster

Snappers

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Snappers

Spread the word

We need to work together now to conserve our reefs for ourselves and for our economies that depend on them: fishing and tourism. You can make a difference by educating your friends and family on how to fish sustainably.

You can make a difference by educating your friends and family on what not to catch.

Show your support and spread the word. Add a #FishForTomorrow frame to your Facebook profile photo.

Add Facebook frame

You can also bookmark this page or add to your mobile home screen - that way you’ll always have easy access to this information when you need it.

Man stood on a fishing boat

Why #FishForTomorrow?

Your reefs aren’t as resilient as you might think - if key species aren’t protected, the habitat for the food on your plate could disappear.

But by choosing not to catch the fish you’ve seen on this page, you can personally make a difference and help this ecosystem continue to thrive. Every time you decide to #FishForTomorrow, you’re helping preserve the unique Maldivan way
of life.

Think you know your fish? Test your knowledge with our fun quiz and share your score with friends.

Take the quiz
Lobster in a bucket

Did you know?

Thousands of groupers come together when they breed. These natural spectacles are called spawning aggregations. Fishing on spawning aggregations drives populations down because groupers are not given the chance to breed successfully.

About Maldives resilient reefs

Blue Marine Foundation's Maldives Resilient Reefs Project aims to restore Maldivian reefs as climate-resilient ecosystems for the benefit of the people, the environment and the economies that depend on them.

You can follow us in these places:

Seagrass

We’re also campaigning to protect the seagrass meadows. Seagrass is vital to the low-lying island nation of the Maldives.

Learn more

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Bumphead Parrotfish

No take

Bumphead Parrot Fish

Bolbometopon muricatum

Bumphead parrotfish are the largest of all parrotfish, reaching 5ft in length and almost 50kg total weight. They can live for 40 years - that’s as long as a camel!

Test fish

Did you know?

The Bumphead parrotfish poops out the sand that makes up Maldivian beaches.

  • Global populations of Bumphead parrotfish have reduced by 30% within the last thirty years, mainly due to overfishing.
  • Bumphead parrotfish populations have decreased significantly in places where they have been caught even in moderate numbers.
  • Scientists have called Bumphead Parrotfish the elephants of the sea because they play such an important role in shaping coral reefs.
  • When Bumphead parrotfish feed on coral on the reef it opens up space and allows new corals to spread and colonize other sections of reef.

*Recommendations are based on the population status, life history traits and ecological role of the species. Some of these are not yet reflected in the national laws.

Bumphead Parrotfish
Bumphead Parrotfish

No take

Parrotfish

Scaridae

There are about 80 identified species of parrotfish, with their adults ranging in size from less than 11.8in to more than 3ft in length.

Test fish

Did you know?

Parrotfish make way for new corals to grow by eating the algae that would otherwise take over!

  • Parrotfish have a beak-like mouth like a parrot which is why they are named ‘parrotfish’.
  • Parrotfish produce 85% of the sand on the outer reef flats each year. This helps Maldivian beaches to grow.
  • Parrotfish’s teeth are composed of fluorapatite, one of the hardest biominerals in the world. This makes the parrotfish’s teeth harder than copper, gold and silver.
  • Parrotfish can change sex! They are often found in schools, led by a dominant male that earned its spot by switching sex when the past supermale died!
  • Big parrotfish are usually males. When they are fished out, it means there are less males available for females to mate with.
  • Overfishing of parrotfish in other coral reef nations has prevented coral reefs from recovering after bleaching events.

*Recommendations are based on the population status, life history traits and ecological role of the species. Some of these are not yet reflected in the national laws.

Parrotfish
Giant clam

No take

Giant clam

Tridacninae

Giant clams are some of the largest bivalves that have ever existed, ranging in size from 6 inches to over 3ft. Harvesting giant clams can cause serious damage to the reef. In some regions, this species is already extinct due to overfishing.

Test fish

Did you know?

The fluted giant clam found in the Maldives can live for more than 25 years - that’s longer than a crocodile.

  • Some species of giant clam can live for hundreds of years.
  • It is illegal to export and catch giant clams in the Maldives.
  • Giant clams help keep the water clean by filtering food particles through their bodies.
  • The bright colours on giant clams from the algae that lives inside it just like corals.
  • Giant clams are hermaphrodites and they can release sperm and eggs but not at the same time.
  • Giant clams need to be close to each other to mate because they can’t move. If too many are taken, they can’t reproduce.

*Recommendations are based on the population status, life history traits and ecological role of the species. Some of these are not yet reflected in the national laws.

Giant clam
Giant Grouper

No take

Giant grouper

Epinephelus lanceolatus

The rare giant grouper is the largest of all bony reef fishes. They can grow to more than 6.5ft and 400kg in weight.

Test fish

Did you know?

The giant grouper is the largest bony fish in the world.

  • Giant groupers only reproduce when they are larger than 4ft.
  • Giant groupers can live at depths of up to 110m.
  • Giant groupers are very easy to overfish because they take a long time to reproduce.
  • Giant grouper populations have already been wiped out in many areas across the world.

*Recommendations are based on the population status, life history traits and ecological role of the species. Some of these are not yet reflected in the national laws.

Giant Grouper
Giant Grouper

No take

Napoleon wrasse

Cheilinus undulatus

Napoleon wrasses are one of the largest of all reef fishes. Males are typically larger than females and can reach lengths up to 6ft 5in from tip to tail and can weigh nearly 180kg, but the average length is generally a little less than 3ft. Females rarely exceed about 3ft in length.

Test fish

Did you know?

The Napoleon wrasse can live up to 30 years - that’s much longer than a leopard!

  • Napoleon Wrasse are a globally endangered fish.
  • It is illegal to catch Napoleon Wrasse in the Maldives.
  • Napoleon Wrasse are one of the few fish that can eat toxic animals such as the crown of thorns starfish, which can destroy reefs.
  • Napoleon wrasse are all born as females and later in their lives they change sex to become males. When they are fished, there are fewer males for females to mate with.
  • Tourists love to see Napolean wrasse when they visit the Maldives.
  • Global populations have halved within the last 30 years, mainly due to overfishing.
  • Their eyes can rotate 360 degrees!

*Recommendations are based on the population status, life history traits and ecological role of the species. Some of these are not yet reflected in the national laws.

Giant Grouper
Pregnant Lobster

No take

Pregnant lobster

Palinuridae

It is illegal to catch berried (pregnant) lobsters in the Maldives. Lobsters only breed every 2 years, and their pregnancy lasts around 20 months.

Pregnant Lobster

Did you know?

In theory, lobsters can live forever due to their ability to regenerate (but they’re still susceptible to disease and attacks).

  • A female lobster can produce more than a million eggs, but it is estimated that only a few will survive to adulthood.
  • As well as it being illegal to catch pregnant lobsters, it’s also illegal to catch lobsters less than 0.8ft in length in the Maldives.
  • They reach sexual maturity between 5 and 9 years for females and 3 and 6 years for males, when they reach the necessary size.
  • This depends on water temperature and food availability.
  • Female painted rock lobsters may carry up to 700,000 eggs, which are very small, numerous and bright orange, taking 3-9 weeks to hatch.
  • 9-11 months later, after living only on small plankton and traveling long distances, they settle in shallow water nursery habitats.

*Recommendations are based on the population status, life history traits and ecological role of the species. Some of these are not yet reflected in the national laws.

Pregnant Lobster
Grouper

Minimum size

Groupers

Serrenidae

There are about 160 species of grouper in the world - the Maldives has over a quarter of these species (45 species). Groupers are the most threatened group of fish on coral reefs.

Grouper size information
Grouper

Did you know?

Species like the brown marbled grouper live longer than lions, and as long as gorillas.

  • Maldives Marine Research Institute estimated that overfishing is so severe in the Maldives that more than 90% of groupers caught are immature.
  • The Maldives is the only country in the Indian Ocean still exporting live groupers for the live fish trade.
  • Many grouper species are not able to breed until they are 7 or 8 years old.
  • Bigger groupers can produce exponentially more eggs than smaller groupers.
  • Thousands of groupers come together when they breed. These natural spectacles are called spawning aggregations.
  • 60% of all grouper spawning aggregations worldwide have declined and many have been so overfished they don’t even form anymore.
  • Many grouper species are born as females and later in their lives they change sex to become males. Because of this there are relatively fewer adult males.
  • Fishing on spawning aggregations drives populations down because groupers are not given the chance to breed successfully.

*Recommendations are based on the population status, life history traits and ecological role of the species. Some of these are not yet reflected in the national laws.

Grouper
Lobster

Minimum size

Lobster

Palinuridae

There are at least 60 species in the spiny lobster family. It is illegal to catch lobsters less than 0.8ft long in the Maldives.

Lobster size information
Lobster

Did you know?

Lobsters live for 50 years - that’s about the same as an Asian elephant!

  • The demand for spiny lobsters has intensified over the last two decades, prompting the need for better management of their stocks.
  • In theory, lobsters can live forever due to their ability to regenerate (but they’re still susceptible to disease and attacks).
  • It takes about two years to grow to the three-inch carapace legal-harvesting size and they can grow as large as 6.8kg.
  • Lobsters have blue blood because of the copper content.
  • Spiny lobsters have two large antennae. They are used for fighting and defense, and two smaller antennules, which are sensory organs that can detect chemicals and movement in the water.

*Recommendations are based on the population status, life history traits and ecological role of the species. Some of these are not yet reflected in the national laws.

Lobster
Snapper

Minimum size

Snappers

Lutjanidae

There are 105 species of snapper in the world - 29 species are found in the Maldives. Snappers are the most targeted reef fish family in the Maldives.

Snapper size information
Snapper

Did you know?

A red snapper can live up to 55 years - more than twice as long as a bear!

  • The number and size of snappers caught in the Maldives has decreased over the last 20 years, which is a sign of over-exploitation.
  • The red snapper can grow to about 3ft, and weigh up to 12kg.
  • Green jobfish can grow up to 3.6ft, weigh up to 15kg, and can live up to 15 years.
  • Humpback snappers can live up to 18 years.

*Recommendations are based on the population status, life history traits and ecological role of the species. Some of these are not yet reflected in the national laws.

Snapper