News environment / tourism Maldives Impact 6.0/10 2 min read

Maldives Moves to Lift 40-Year Ban on Spearfishing

Tourism and Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim announced that the government will amend regulations to allow spearfishing, ending a 40-year ban. The move aims to diversify the tourism sector and introduce new activities. Alongside spearfishing, the government plans to introduce technical recreational diving and extend the diving limit from 30 metres to 40 metres. The minister did not provide further details on regulatory changes or an implementation timeline beyond a planned rollout next month.

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Maldives Republic

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Published

Mar 30, 2026

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📋 Story Brief

Tourism and Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim announced that the government will amend regulations to allow spearfishing, ending a 40-year ban. The move aims to diversify the tourism sector and introduce new activities. Alongside spearfishing, the government plans to introduce technical recreational diving and extend the diving limit from 30 metres to 40 metres. The minister did not provide further details on regulatory changes or an implementation timeline beyond a planned rollout next month.

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Focus: Maldives Moves to Lift 40-Year Ban on Spearfishing

Unique detail: Maldives Moves to Lift 40-Year Ban on Spearfishing

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10:27

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Maldives Republic

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Official government or institutional statement

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