The Maldives Underwater Initiative | Six Senses Laamu
Earlier this year we spent time with Laamu Atoll's Ocean Guardians, the Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI) and Blue Marine Foundation. Together we created beautiful stories, sharing their research, conservation efforts and ocean community with the world.
MUI is a multiple award-winning marine conservation initiative based at Six Senses Laamu, a 5-star resort in the Maldives. This collaboration consists of staff from the resort, as well as its three partner NGOs: The Manta Trust, Blue Marine Foundation and The Olive Ridley Project, all of whom work together to conduct research, protect the environment, provide guest education and reach community outreach goals.
The mission at MUI is to lead the tourism industry through meaningful marine conservation efforts and to empower the local and global community of marine ambassadors.
The Maldives atolls are a chain of 26 islands, each formed by a ring-shaped coral reef, that span over 470 miles across the Indian Ocean. This Island Nation owes its existence to its coral reef and seagrass meadow system yet fishing, pollution, coastal development and climate change is threatening the future of its sea-level atolls and the people who depend on them. Although they are not yet protected by the government, these reefs contain over a quarter of all known hard coral species on earth and a rare abundance of marine giants like sharks, turtles and manta rays.
Beginning in 2011 with just one full-time marine biologist employed by the resort, the team has grown to over 10 in-house conservationists as well as a talented range of staff from the partnering NGOs. With such a large group of experts, research has expanded to cover a multitude of important topics. In 2014 MUI developed its first partnership with The Manta Trust, who began to study the year-round manta ray population in Laamu. In 2016, the Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) joined the team onsite to improve management of the export grouper fishery threatened by the live fish trade. Then two years later in 2018, Six Senses teamed up with the The Olive Ridley Project to study the populations of endangered sea turtles. As is inevitable in such a large team of curious marine biologists, the research goals are continuously expanding and focus topics so far have included biodiversity surveys, megafauna monitoring, behavioural studies, seagrass protection, turtle hatching, beach profiling, sediment dynamics and much more.
As the first resort in Laamu Atoll (one of the southern-most of the 26 atolls in the Maldives), Six Senses Laamu takes a great deal of responsibility for the conservation of the environment upon which the resort and local community are reliant. The resort employs 55% Maldivian staff and works closely with all 13 island councils, the Laamu Atoll Council and all 13,000 residents to achieve shared community development and education goals.
Marteyne van Well, Six Senses Laamu general manager spoke out about the growing need for resorts to work together in the Maldives to tackle environmental issues.
"It's easy as a resort to just focus your marine conservation efforts on your own doorstep. We're looking forward to working with other environmentally-conscious resorts to create a larger voice and advocate for not only seagrass protection, but for numerous other conservation issues. These partnerships will be a key tool in tackling the challenges the Maldives is currently facing and developing a sustainable business model for existing and future resorts.”
COMMUNITY AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES
MUI is empowering the next generation of marine ambassadors in Laamu and engaging in open communication with community leaders through various programs and initiatives.
“As the first resort in Laamu Atoll, Six Senses Laamu recognises that it has a responsibility to the environment and the people. We believe in an open two-way communication with community groups and leaders and we also want to help foster environmental stewardship in young people. We aim to build local capacity by providing training and infrastructure to Laamu’s residents so that they are well equipped to tackle environmental issues they face.”
MUI RESEARCH
MUI’s research focuses on the key habitats in Laamu: coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangrove forests, as well as the most vulnerable species inhabiting them.
“This vision, initiated by our General Manager, Marteyne van Well, is made possible through our research projects which allow us to fully understand the marine resources that exist in Laamu, and therefore how we can best protect them. With the backing of this research, and the support of the Laamu community, we will protect Laamu’s natural resources for generations to come. A vital part of our work is to share this knowledge with all stakeholders including Six Senses Laamu guests (who can join on surveys), citizen science volunteers in the local community, Laamu’s council members and our global network of supporters such as yourself.”
EDUCATION
At Six Senses Laamu, every visitor is encouraged to become a voice for ocean conservation, hands-on workshops, presentations and guided-in water activities serve to amaze and inspire the public.
“At MUI, we believe being a marine biologist at a resort is about more than just being a snorkel guide; above all, it’s about science communication. Every single guest interaction is an opportunity to inspire others to care about the importance of protecting our oceans. Different people engage with conservation messages in different ways, which is why we offer a range of activities, hands-on workshops, presentations, kids club, dolphin cruises, guided snorkels, reef clean ups, and more.”
THE MALDIVES STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN 2019 - 2023
“Tourism development should not be at the expense of the environment. In fact, tourism development is dependent on the health of the environment. We are setting an example for the tourism industry and other conservation initiatives throughout the Maldives by showing that protecting the habitats and species of Laamu benefits tourism. Through our research, education and community projects we are prioritizing the protection seagrass meadows, Coral reefs, mangrove forests, Manta cleaning and courtship sites, Turtle habitats and nesting sites, Grouper spawning and aggregation sites.”
The economy and well-being of the Maldives is tied to the health of the natural environment, primarily the ocean. The largest contributors to the economy, tourism and fisheries sectors are highly dependent on the wellbeing of the ocean, coral reefs, beaches and marine life.
“We are in Laamu to create a legacy, to leave this beautiful and unique part of the Maldives better than how we found it.”
Photographs - Matt Porteous & Blue Marine Foundation
MUI 2019 ANNUAL REPORT
Website - www.maldivesunderwaterinitiative.com
Instagram - @maldivesunderwaterinitiative
