Abstract:
This study attempts to ascertain aspects of coral reef management in the Maldives,
with emphasis laid on reef monitoring. The patterns of exploitation of reefs are
described. Threats to reefs, both man-made and natural, are reviewed. The major
human impacts on reefs in the Maldives appear to be coral mining, dredging and
reclamation, tourist related activities and pollution. Acanthaster plancii predation is a
significant threat to coral reefs in some atolls of Maldives.
Aspects of coral reef monitoring are reviewed with emphasis on monitoring
objectives, design and operation of monitoring programmes, and methods employed
in reef monitoring. Transect methods, quadrat methods, photographic methods and
visual surveys are reviewed.
A monitoring programme developed at the Marine Research Section of the Ministry
of Fisheries and Agriculture, in Maldives is described. Data collected under this
programme were analysed in chapter 4. This is a long-term monitoring scheme being
developed to detect anthropogenic impacts on coral reefs. The problems and short
comings of the data as well as their usefulness is discussed. It was concluded that the
data collected under the monitoring programme can be put to management use only
with further studies and refinements to the sampling procedures.
