Maldives moves to protect whale sharks

	For years, the Maldives has been renowned for its whale shark encounters

The Maldives has taken the first steps towards establishing a protected area for whale sharks. The government-backed initiative is being supported by biologists, diving professionals and representatives of the local community.

For years, the Maldives has been renowned for its whale shark encounters, which, while not as seasonal as those of the Seychelles, occur throughout the atolls during most of the year. Several locations - notably the exposed outer reef of South Ari Atoll - have emerged as whale-shark hotspots and attract boatloads of snorkelers on a daily basis.

Spearheading the move to organize and regulate these encounters is a group of local biologists who have formed the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP). Since 2006, this group has been investigating the populations and behavior of whale sharks in the Maldives through photo-identification, prey surveys and by taking part in an international genetic analysis and tagging project. So far, a database of 100 individual sharks has been compiled and is being used to track the movements of these sharks around the atolls. The group is also investigating stories of other whale shark hotspots across the archipelago: it is thought that the sharks journey around the Maldives in order to find seasonal eddies that concentrate their favorite food - zooplankton - into relatively small areas. The long-term plan is to establish protected areas in which snorkeling and boat activity will be controlled, and the sharks will have a refuge from open-ocean fisheries.

A meeting was held at the end of 2008 to consider ways of protecting the sharks and ensuring that all boats conform to a code of conduct.

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Soneva takes the Gold in Condé Nast Lists

	Soneva Fushi by Six Senses, achieved a perfect score for its location

Perhaps the greatest compliment is to have your guest’s choose your resort as their favorite, as was the case in The Condé Nast Gold Lists 2009, in both the United States and United Kingdom editions of Condé Nast Traveller. In the US edition, over 32,000 readers voted. The result, wrote Condé Nast Traveler, is a compendium of properties as reliable as bullion itself.

Scoring the Maldives top position with an overall 94.8%, Soneva Fushi by Six Senses, achieved a perfect score for its location: blindingly white sand, turquoise sea and beautiful palm trees,“the service is second to none”. “You won’t wear shoes once during your stay” Dense vegetation separates villas, where the furniture is built from renewable or sustainable sources, and bathrooms open to private gardens.

And the Maldives second highest score went to sister property, Soneva Gili, with 93.6%. Soneva’s philosophy of what it calls intelligent luxury translates into “a smart staff: The people serving you breakfast speak five to seven languages”. Bright villas in this overwater resort have rooftop sundecks and are decorated in shades of red, yellow and white. A new gym and Japanese restaurant recently opened.

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February 19th – March 5

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	Grey reef sharks are the main players in this parade of life

Also known as Shark Point, or Mushimasmingili Thila It is unsurprising that people generally use the more bit-size English version of this dive site's name rather than the Maldivian mouthful. This site often appears on the top ten lists of the Maldives, given that is one of the best sites for seeing sharks. It's also one of those sites when you are grateful you are on-the-spot on a liveaboard rather than having to suffer a long boat journey to get there.

The reef is in fact a small pinnacle which reaches from around 10 metres at its shallowest point down to a depth of 35 metres, featuring a series of caves and overhangs in between where you can see thousands of blue-line snappers against a backdrop of black coral bushes and large gorgonians.

Grey reef sharks are the main players in this parade of life - they were fed here in the past. They often gather in large numbers (estimated at 16 residents) and the sight of so many of them, sometimes darting around at speed can be thrilling, if not a little unsettling!

In addition to the sharks you are likely to sight humphead wrasse, schools of batfish and vast schools of fusiliers, or mushimasmingili. This is where the current can be strong and might necessitate staying in the lee. Spotted eagle rays are also common visitors to Fish Head amongst other pelagics.

Since the current can be unpredictable here your guide might suggest a descent/ascent line, since open water safety stops can see you finally break the surface some distance from the boat.

Fish Head Reef Basics: Pinnacle
Depth: 10 - 35m
Visibility: 15 - 25m
Currents: Can be very strong
Surface Conditions: Usually calm, but can be rough
Water Temperature: 27 - 30°C
Experience Level: Intermediate
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 2.5 km south of Mushimasmingili
Access: Maldives liveaboard

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