Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resource and Agriculture has stated every Maldivian must appreciate and explore the marine life.
The fisheries minister made the remarks at the opening session of the two-day regional workshop on sharks and rays hosted by Maldives in preparation for upcoming Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).
Speaking at the ceremony, Fisheries Minister Zaha spoke on the achievements of Maldives in protecting marine life. She noted the efforts of Maldives in protecting rays and sharks are well appreciated worldwide.
The proposal by Maldives to list the silky shark under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species was adopted at the 17th CITES COP 17 held in Johannesburg, South Africa, with the backing of 111 member countries, including the 28-member European Union.
The workshop is conducted under CITES which is an international agreement between governments which aim to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
The two-day workshop is attended by 10 countries of South East Asia including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.