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Coral Reef & Whale Shark EXPEDITION REPORT Expedition dates: 15 – 29 July 2017 Report published: July 2018 Little and large: surveying and safeguarding coral reefs & whale sharks in the Maldives EXPEDITION REPORT Little and large: surveying and safeguarding coral reefs & whale sharks in the Maldives Expedition dates: 15 – 29 July 2017 Report published: July 2018 Authors: Jean-Luc Solandt Marine Conservation Society & Reef Check Co-ordinator Maldives Matthias Hammer (editor) Biosphere Expeditions 1 © Biosphere Expeditions, a not-for-profit conservation organisation registered in Australia, England, France, Germany, Ireland, USA Member of the United Nations Environment Programme's Governing Council & Global Ministerial Environment Forum Member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Abstract Two weeks of coral reef surveys were carried out in July 2017 by Biosphere Expeditions in Ari, South Male’, Felidhu and Mulaku atolls, Maldives. The surveys were undertaken by Maldivian placement recipients, fee-paying volunteer citizen scientists from around the world and staff from Biosphere Expeditions. Surveys using the Reef Check methodology concentrated on re-visiting permanent monitoring sites that have been surveyed in Ari atoll, central Maldives, since 2005 for some sites, and every other year since 2011. The surveys were carried out 14 months after the El Niño coral bleaching event in 2016. Coral cover for all North Ari sites combined varied between 52% and 0% with a mean of 21% cover. Inner Ari atoll reefs (mean 4% cover) have been more severely affected by bleaching than the outer reef sites (mean 37%) over this 14-month timeframe. Some inner reefs (e.g. Kudafalhu), which had previously been affected by coral-damaging storms in 2015, Crown-of-Thorns infestations and bleaching in 2016, had extremely low coral cover (under 2%). There continues to be strong evidence of consistent overfishing, with very few large grouper and few snapper present at most sites. Outer reefs appear to show a more promising survival (resistance) and recruitment/recovery pattern (resilience) to bleaching, with many Porites and other massive and encrusting colonies persisting. Relatively high parrotfish numbers at Holiday thila (12 individuals per 100m2) Kudafalhu (7 individuals per 100m2) may graze much of the algae away that has become established onto the reefs there. If grazing pressure is not enabled or increased, partly through fisheries management, we may see a more permanent ’phase shift’ to an algal or corallimorph reef, with consequential disastrous effects on fish and overall reef biodiversity. This has already happened at two reefs surveyed in the past – Adhureys reef in the southeast of Ari atoll and Deh giri in North Male’ atoll. These have shifted to Discosoma corallimorph-dominated reefs and therefore ecological deserts, and as such are extremely unlikely ever to become highly biodiverse coral reefs again. A half-day effort-based whale shark survey was also carried out at the outer reef of South Ari Marine Protected Area, yielding one encounter at Maamigili. The animal was 6 m long and had previously been identified by the Maldives Whale Shark Research Project as ‘Adam’. In summary, our studies indicate some initial recovery since the 2016 bleaching event, with much of the remaining bleached proportion of the coral community appearing to recover between July 2016 and July 2017. However, much of the recovery is limited to outer reefs, with inner reefs faring much worse in comparison. Overall, urgent policy and government action to protect reefs, and therefore the economic, social and geological foundation of the Maldives, is required to combat multiple threats and trends of decline. However, there seems to be little political and public awareness, understanding or will to do so. 2 © Biosphere Expeditions, a not-for-profit conservation organisation registered in Australia, England, France, Germany, Ireland, USA Member of the United Nations Environment Programme's Governing Council & Global Ministerial Environment Forum Member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature ޓް ކް ރެ ޓް ސް ބް އެ ަބ ޮޔ ްސ ިފ ައރ ެއ ްކ ްސ ެޕ ިޑ ަޝ ްނ ްސ ެގ ަފ ާރ ުތ ްނ ުޖ ަލ ިއ 2017 ަގ ިއ ައ ިރ ައ ޮތ ުޅ، ެދ ުކ ުނ ާމ ެލ ައ ޮތ ުޅ، ެފ ިލ ުދ ައ ޮތ ުޅ ައ ިދ ުމ ަލ ުކ އި ގަ ތު ކަ އް ސަ މަ ސާ ރާ ދި މި .ވެ ނެ ވު ދެ ން ގެ ށް އަ ރި ކު އް ކެ ތަ ތް ކަ އް ސަ މަ ސާ ރާ ދި ގެ ތާ ފް ހަ 2 ން ތު ގޮ ގެ މު ތު ގަ ނެ ދެ ލު ހާ ގެ ކު ތަ ރު ފަ ގެ ޅު ތޮ އަ އް އެ ފީ ދި އަ "ސް ޓް ން އަ ޕި ސީ ރެ ޓް ން މަ ސް ޭލޕް ން އަ ވި ޑި ލް ޯމ" ނީ ވަ އި ފަ ވެ ރި ވެ އި ބަ ން ރު ތު އި ގެ ން ފު ޒަ އް ވަ މު ގެ ސް ން ޝަ ޑި ޕެ ސް ކް އެ ރއަ ފި ސް ޔޮ ބަ ަދ ްއ ަކ ިއ ެގ ްނ ިމ ިދ ާރ ާސ ަގ ިއ ަބ ިއ ެވ ިރ ިވ ވޮ ަލ ްނ ިޓ ައރ ިސ ިޓ ަޒ ްނ ަސ ިއ ްނ ިޓ ްސ ުޓ ްނ ެނ ެވ. މީ ެގ ިއ ުތ ުރ ްނ، ައ ިރ ައ ޮތ ުޅ ެދ ުކ ުނ ުބ ީރ ަގ ިއ ސާ ރާ ދި ސް ވެ ށް މަ ލު ބެ ރު ވަ ން މި ނަ ން ފެ ހި ރި ހު ފެ ން ރު ފަ ރު ބޭ ގެ (އާ ރި އޭ ޑް ޓަ ކް ޓެ ރޮ ޕް ން ރި މެ ރި އަ ތު އު ސަ ) ދު އް ޙަ ރަ ސަ ވާ އި ފަ ވި ރެ ކު ތް ޔަ މާ ހި ސް ވެ އް އެ ން ރު ބޭ ލި ގި މި މާ އި ގަ ތު ގު ވަ ނު ވު ރެ ކު ސާ ރާ ދި މި .ވެ ނެ ވު ރެ ކު ން ތި މަ ގެ އް ތެ ދަ އް މު ގެ ހު ވަ ދު އި ބަ (ޭވރސާ ޑް ސް ބޭ ޓް ރފަ އެ ) އް ތެ ކަ އް ސަ މަ .ވެ އެ ވެ ރެ ކު ގަ ހަ ާފ ށް މަ ކަ ނަ ން ފެ ނު ހި ރި ހު ފެ ށް ކަ ދަ ދަ ޢަ ން ކު ތަ ރު ހަ އަ ރީ ކު އި ގަ ރޭ ތެ ޖެ އް ރާ ދު މެ ދި އަ ޅު ތޮ އަ ރި އަ ނީ ވަ އި ފަ ވި ރެ ކު އް ތަ ސާ ރާ ދި ނު ވު ރެ ކު ން ގެ ވި ރެ ކު ން ނު ބޭ ޖީ ލޮ ޮޑތޮ މެ ކް ޗެ ފް ރީ ސާ ރާ ދި ން ގެ ށި ފެ ން އި 2005 ކީ ކަ ތަ ދު އް ޙަ ރަ ސަ އް އެ ބަ ން އި ރެ ތެ ގެ ީމ .ވެ އެ ގަ ކު ތަ ދު އް ޙަ ރަ ސަ ވާ އި ފަ ސް އި އަ ން މު ވެ ރެ ކު ސާ ރާ ދި ން ގެ ށި ފެ ގެ ނޯ ނީ ލް އެ ނީ ވަ އި ފަ ވި ރެ ކު އް ތަ ސާ ރާ ދި މި .(ރު ހަ އަ 1 ން ރު ހަ އަ 2 މެ ން ކޮ ން ގެ ށި ފެ ން އި 2011) ވެ ކެ ކެ ތަ ދު އް ޙަ ރަ ސަ ނަ ން އަ ން މު ވެ ރެ ކު ގެ އި ކަ ރަ މު ރޭ ދި އި ގަ ކު ތަ ދު އް ޙަ ރަ ސަ ނު ވު ރެ ކު ސާ ރާ ދި އި ގަ ރީ ބު ރު ތު އު ޅު ތޮ އަ ރި އަ .ވެ ނެ ން ހު ފަ ސް މަ 14 ތާ ވި މާ ދި ސާ ދި ހާ ގެ މު ވު ދު ހު ގާ ން ބު ބަ ސަ ރު ސަ އަ ގެ މު ވު ދު ހު ގާ އި ގަ ރޭ ތެ ގެ ތު ދަ އް މު ގެ ހު މަ 14 މި .ވެ އެ ދު މެ ދެ އި އާ (21% ށް ކޮ ޖް ރެ ވް އެ ) 52% އި އާ 0% ނީ ޅެ އު ތަ އް ސަ ން އި ރޭ ދި ޖް ރެ ވް އެ ) ށް ކަ ތަ ރު ފަ ގެ ރީ ވަ ރެ ތެ އެ (37% ތަ އް ސަ ން އި ގެ އި ކަ ރަ މު ރޭ ދި ޖް ރެ ވް އެ ) ރެ ވު ށް ކަ ތަ ރު ފަ ރު ބޭ ގެ ޅު ތޮ އަ ރި އަ ނީ ވަ އި ފަ ށް ކޮ ށް ޑަ ބޮ ުމ ަރ ަކ ިއ ެގ ިއ ްނ ަސ ްއ ަތ %4) ަކ ަމ ްށ ާފ ަހ ަގ ުކ ެރ ެވ ެއ ެވ. ެއ ްލ ީނ ޯނ ެގ ާހ ިދ ާސ ެގ ުކ ިރ ްނ، ެއ ެހ ިނ ެހ ްނ ަސ ަބ ުބ ަތ ަކ ްށ ަޓ ަކ ިއ (2015 ަގ ިއ ޫމ ުސ ްމ ަސ ަކ ާރ ްތ ުވ ުމ ެގ ަސ ަބ ުބ ްނ ަފ ުރ ަތ ަކ ްށ ެގ ްއ ުލ ްނ ުވ ްނ، ަކ ިށ ޯބ ިގ ަނ ުވ ްނ ައ ިދ 2016 ެގ ާގ ުހ ުދ ުވ ުމ ެގ ާހ ިދ ާސ) ެގ ްއ ުލ ްނ ިލ ިބ ަފ ިއ ާވ ެއ ެތ ެރ ަވ ީރ ެގ .ވެ ނެ ވު ރެ ކު ގަ ހަ ާފ (ށް ދަ ރެ ވު ށް އަ 2%) ށް މަ ކަ ށް ދަ ށް ރަ ވަ ތަ އް ސަ ން އި ގެ އި ކަ ރަ މު ރޭ ދި (ޅު ފަ ޑަ ކު ށް ކަ ލަ ސާ މި ) ގެ ކު ތަ ރު ފަ އް އެ ބަ މީ ެގ ިއ ުތ ުރ ްނ، ާއ ާލ ާވ ިމ ްނ ަވ ަރ ްށ ުވ ެރ ްއ ިގ ަނ ިއ ްނ ަމ ްސ ޭބ ޭނ ަކ ުމ ެގ ެހ ިކ ަތ ްއ ެވ ްސ ެފ ްނ ަނ ްނ ުހ ިރ ަކ ްނ ފާ ަހ ަގ ުކ ެރ ެވ ެއ ެވ. ިމ ޮގ ުތ ްނ، ށް މަ ކަ ދު މަ ރު ވަ ން މި ނު ނު ފެ ން ކު ތަ ދު އް ޙަ ރަ ސަ ނަ ގި އް ތަ ތް ވަ ބާ ގެ ލާ އި ޢާ ގެ ހު މަ ނި ގި އި ހާ މަ ތް ރަ ދި އަ ނަ ާފ ނޭ ބޭ ށް ކޮ މު އް އާ އި ގަ މު ކަ ރި ވެ ސް މަ ފާ ަހ ަގ ިވ ެއ ެވ.
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