Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter BLUESix Senses Laamu & 1 GREEN LAAMU Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter August 2020

With the resort reopen as of August 1st, the MUI team has had lots of opportunities to conduct educational and research dives and snorkels again. This was shot by Adam, our Community and Education Outreach Manager, whilst leading other hosts on a snorkel of the house reef. Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Six Senses Laamu 2 Six Senses Laamu 3

The Junior Marine Biology Program was SUMMER recently updated to make it even more hands on and activity-focussed and these children HOLIDAYS WITH loved it! We had seven graduates complete the program in August and two of whom were JUNIOR MARINE alumni after completing the original program whilst on holidays last year. These alumni make up two out of three of the “Turtle Squad”, BIOLOGY a well-known crew in MUI who we were THE MUI 2019 delighted to see again. The highlight of the busy Like many schools around the world, the Junior month with these budding conservationists was ANNUAL REPORT Marine Biology Program has switched from taking all seven graduates on a final special online classes back to in-person sessions. Many snorkel boat, where we explored a nearby reef AND NEW WEBSITE families took advantage of the final weeks of and then had some fun jumping off the boat. It summer break and visited Six Senses Laamu, was also Lawrence’s birthday, and what a way To celebrate Six Senses Laamu’s reopening, the MUI and that meant lots of Junior Marine Biologists. to spend it, with seven of his closest friends! team released their 2019 annual report on a brand new MUI website. The beautifully designed report outlines the incredible achievements the entire team at Six Senses Laamu made last year from research, eduction, community, sustainability and communications projects. It is brought to life by the photography of world renowned photographers Alex Mustard and Matt Porteous, and features personal #LaamuStories of the impacts the team has had in the last year. The new website features summaries of who we are and what we set out to achieve, and will be updated with reports and educational tools as MUI grows and develops.

SIX SENSES LAAMU THE RESULTS ARE In April 2020, the team conducted annual surveys STARTS A NEW CHAPTER of the meadows and August saw the release of our results. We found that the total area of seagrass had On August 1st, after a four-month temporary IN: SEAGRASS increase by 20% to a total of 116,695m2! Different closure, Six Senses Laamu turned the page onto In August the MUI team MONITORING areas of the lagoon had experienced different a new chapter when it reopened. The MUI team interacted with 26% of guests expansion, mostly due to their diversity in species once again have guests to interact with, providing Since 2012, marine biologists at Six Senses composition and the space in which they are guidance and education on house reef snorkels, at the resort. Laamu have been keeping an eye on seagrass growing. The meadows were found to be healthy dolphin cruises and dives. The reactions our guests at Six Senses Laamu. However, only since and dense, meaning they provide good quality have when seeing a turtle for the first time or 2017 have we begun to truly appreciate habitat for juvenile fish and also help stabilize the learning the name of the sting ray they see under An average of 7.9 megafauna these vibrant, lively habitats and pledged to sea floor with their complex network of roots. their villa every morning, gives a little boost of protecting them. Since, we have been exploring positivity to our days. Many of the guests have were encountered across 71 and studying the seagrass meadows around All the information we gather will contribute requested full day snorkel boat adventures, allowing snorkel and dive excursions the island and encouraging other resorts to do towards the Seagrass Monitoring us to explore reefs throughout . After the same. Seagrass meadows provide food for Network, a national database aiming to gain four months of remaining at the resort this has been with a total of 224 sharks, 104 green turtles, homes for thousands of fish and a better understanding of seagrass meadows a breath of fresh air, and the reefs themselves are turtles and 184 rays sighted. crustaceans and therefore also attract sting rays, throughout the whole of Maldives! Read the full looking encouragingly healthy and full of life. sharks and more fish. report here. Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Six Senses Laamu 4 Six Senses Laamu 5 PARTNERSHIP ANNUAL REPORT

Alongside their Laamu nesting report, this month Olive Ridley Project also finalized their 2019-20 partnership year report. The report detailed the research, resort and community activities conducted by Olive Ridley Project at Laamu between April 2019 and March 2020.

The research shows a decrease in new turtles being identified found NESTING REPORT at West and Six Senses House Reef. This suggests that Olive Ridley Project have identified almost all individuals at these This month Olive Ridley Project finalized their Laamu nesting sites. The report found the green turtle population in Laamu to report. The report summarised the nesting research conducted be dominated by adult individuals, whereas the hawksbill turtle on Olhuveli (Six Senses Laamu) and (a nearby population comprised mostly juveniles. The number of entangled uninhabited island) over the past two years. turtles and ghost nets reported in Laamu was lower in the 2019- 20 partnership year than in 2018-19. This was in line with national Research highlights included the finding that clutch size (the trends, however sadly, the number reported likely remains a gross number of eggs laid in a nest) differed between individual females underestimation of the true number of entangled turtles and ghost with larger females laying more eggs, and that incubation time nets in the region. (the duration between laying and hatching dates) was longer during the 2018 and 2019 nesting seasons than in previous To find out more, download ORPs partnership year report here. years. Significant variation in hatching success (the proportion of eggs in a nest that hatch successfully) between individual females was also reported. On Gaadhoo, a decline in poaching activity was observed between the 2018-19 and 2019-20 research years. Olive Ridley Project speculate that this could be due to the increased presence of researchers on the island, however further research is required to confirm this assumption.

To find out more, download the nesting report here.

Nesting data for Gaadhoo Island:

NEWLY IDENTIFIED TURTLES

With the reopening of Six Senses Laamu to guests, MUI were able to conduct a greater number of turtle ID surveys in August. This increase in survey effort did not go unrewarded; two new turtles were added to Laamu’s ID database this month! Pictured here is a new turtle photographed by Yameen, Manta Trust’s Assistant Project Manager for Laamu. Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Six Senses Laamu 6 Six Senses Laamu 7

IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF THE GROUPER FISHERY PROTECTION GRANTED TO ALL This month BLUE submitted public feedback Based on their population status in the Maldives, for the government’s new draft management groupers are on Six Senses Laamu’s No Take list to PARROTFISH SPECIES IN THE MALDIVES plan for the grouper fishery. In 2016-17, Six give their wild populations the chance to recover and Senses Laamu supported BLUE and the help our reefs to thrive. Maldivian Government to study grouper We are thrilled that last month the Maldivian reproduction in the Maldives to help to government has publicly committed to protect better manage the overfished stocks in the all species of parrotfish in the Maldives. This Maldives. legislation will come into effect in the next six months which means that it will be illegal to We were delighted to see some of BLUE’s fish all species of parrotfish in the Maldives as recommendations reflected in the draft such th of 30 August 2020. as ban on the use of destructive fishing gear and minimum size limit revision for some of Abundant and diverse populations of the most targeted species. Below are some of parrotfish are critical to maintaining the health the following recommendations we proposed and balance of coral reefs because they graze to be included: the algae on reefs, creating space for juvenile corals to settle on the reef. This helps reefs to on a reef they can replenish our beaches in • IMMEDIATE implementation of a quota recover after coral bleaching events, which record time, which is very important for the system; have been predicted to increase in frequency Maldivian islands to adapt to sea level rise. • Permanent closure of minimum one and intensity over the coming years. spawning aggregation site FROM EACH Parrotfish were one of the groups of ATOLL In addition to this, their poop is almost entirely species proposed for protection in BLUE’s • Protection of GIANT GROUPER responsible for creating Maldivian beaches! A #FishForTomorrow campaign which aimed (Epinephelus lanceolatus/ muda faana); single parrotfish can make over 80kgs of sand to educate the public about vulnerable • Revision of the minimum sizes for all in one year! When there is enough of them reef fish species and secure their support species so that they are easily enforceable, for protection. More than 70% of the and trade is controlled at biologically local respondents to the campaign polls sustainable levels; supported the legal protection of parrotfish • Distinctions between hatchery-based in the Maldives! aquaculture and wild capture fisheries; • The Adoption of a more participatory The only coral reef fish which has been approach to fisheries management; and protected to date is the Napoleon Wrasse • Commitment to undertake a value-chain (1995). This is a tremendously exciting and analysis to understand how the benefits progressive management decision by the from the fishery could be maximized, Maldives which will help to safeguard reefs especially for those members of the for the future. society who most need them. Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Six Senses Laamu 8 Six Senses Laamu 9

BETTER THE DEVIL (RAY) YOU KNOW

MANTA RESEARCH While reef manta rays are the most frequently sighted mobulids in Laamu, the Manta Trust also records data RESUMES on a few other species. This month, the team spotted a With the resort reopening and diving activities Shorthorned Pygmy Devil Ray at one of the channels underway, the Manta Trust team was able to get on the western side of Laamu Atoll. Encounters with back in the water and resume research! They’ve been other mobulids are often short in duration but exciting joining all guest dives to the local manta aggregation as they are infrequent and unexpected in the atoll! sites, and they had some great encounters in August. The first manta ray to welcome the team back was Tsarina Tusina (pictured), one of the adult females known only to Laamu Atoll. She’s been recorded Besides reef manta rays and oceanic manta rays, a total of 37 times since 2016. Tsarina Tusina was two other species the team encounters on occasion also one of the last manta rays the team recorded in are Mobula kuhlii (Shorthorned Pygmy Devil March, just before pausing their research activities. Ray) and Mobula thurstoni (Bentfin Devil Ray). Often mistaken for juvenile manta rays, these The team was also excited to see Michele this month, individuals are entirely different species. With Laamu Atoll’s most frequently sighted manta ray. similar appearances, they can be challenging to Michele, a male manta ray, has been recorded a total identify from one another. Bentfin devil rays are of 311 times. Interestingly, both Michelle and Tsarina often larger, growing to a maximum of 1.8 meters, Tusina were recorded together for the last time in while shorthorned pygmy devil rays grow to March. Manta rays are considered solitary animals just 1.2 meters across. Shorthorned pygmy devil but we have to wonder if they were keeping each rays also have a distinctive pale grey stripe along other company while the research team was away! the leading edge of their pectoral fins which can help to identify the species. We occasionally hear reports of these species on the house reef or from our snorkel boat tours.

If you spot a ray while at Six Senses Laamu, try to capture a photo! The Maldives Underwater Initiative team is happy to help ID any species around the resort and if it’s a tricky one, they can check the field guide books at the resort. To learn more about mobulid rays, the team recommends checking out a copy of the Guide to Manta Rays and Devil Rays of the World. It’s a favorite for them when teaching the community about mobulid rays. Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Six Senses Laamu 10 Six Senses Laamu 11

SUSTAINABILITY WATER FILTER & COMMUNITY MAINTENANCE PROJECT AQUAPHONICS AT EARTH LAB This month we saw the completion of the ZePWIS Our Earth Lab team is continuously innovating water filter maintenance Project with Bhaaru Pvt and pushing themselves to find new ways to Ltd. The ZePWIS project was initiated in 2019 by transform ‘Waste to Wealth’. This month saw the Laamu Atoll Council in partnership with Six Senses latest invention, an aquaponics system right here Laamu. The aim of the project was to provide water at our Earth Lab. filters, and therefore clean water, to all schools in Laamu Atoll and to raise awareness about single Aquaponics represents the relationship between use plastics among the young students of Laamu water, aquatic life, bacteria, nutrient dynamics, Atoll. and plants which grow together in waterways all over the world. Taking cues from nature, By the end of 2019, whilst all schools had water aquaponics harnesses the power of bio-integrating filter systems installed, the schools were challenged these individual components: exchanging the to provide reliable clean water due to maintenance Six Senses Laamu’s water fund has provided water waste by-product from the fish as a food for the issues with the filters. Therefore, in 2020, Six Senses filtration systems to all the schools, all the police bacteria, which in turn is converted into a perfect Laamu and Bhaaru Pvt Ltd initiated a maintenance stations, two councils, one hospital, one health fertilizer for the plants. It’s the perfect symbiotic project for all water filters in schools along with center, four mosques and one university in Laamu relationship between aquaculture and gardening. training two members of staff at each school. The Atoll. We look forward to continuing to provide The closed system works using a tank and piping aim was to fix any issues and empower a local clean water and reduce single use plastic among system so that the water is continuously recycled, team to carry on the task in the future. the local community. and waste is minimized.

The Earth Lab team hopes to inspire our guests and the fellow community members to utilize this simple innovation for a creating a self-sustainable lifestyle at home.

A LITTLE NURSERY FOR OUR LITTLE VIPS

In the month of August, the Earth Lab team was excited to install a nursery dedicated to our little VIPs from the Den for their weekly Grow with Six Senses gardening activities. This nursery will play a huge role in teaching children about sowing and transplanting vegetable plants. The little VIPs will help sow the plants. Then, when they are ready to be transplanted into a larger bed, the Earth Lab team will donate the plants to L. School’s Garden Club so they can grow vegetables in their school’s garden. Marine Biology & Sustainability Newsletter Six Senses Laamu 12

To learn more about Six Senses Laamu marine conservation and sustainability initiatives please contact:

Leanna Crowley Marketing Communications Manager [email protected]

Phillipa Roe Head Marine Biologist [email protected]

To stay up to date with the latest news, events and visiting experts follow Six Senses Laamu, Maldives Underwater Initiative and Deep Blue Divers on social media

Six Senses Laamu Olhuveli Island, Laamu Atoll, Maldives T +960 680 0800 F +960 680 0801 www.sixsenses.com