Maldives Revokes Decades-Old Ban on Shark Fishing

The Maldives, a luxury holiday destination and top diving spot in the Indian Ocean, will lift a decades-old ban on shark fishing, the President's Office said on Aug. 27.

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MALE, Maldives — The Maldives, a luxury holiday destination and top diving spot in the Indian Ocean, will lift a decades-old ban on shark fishing, the President's Office said on Aug. 27.

Sharks were once the second-most important catch for the Maldives after tuna, which remains the main export earner for the nation of about half a million people.

However, the authorities banned shark fishing after revenue from divers visiting the archipelago proved greater than earnings from shark oil, according to media reports at the time.