Hunting reef sharks is now banned throughout Maldivian waters.

The government decision has made the Indian Ocean archipelago the first nation in the region to outlaw the practice.
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The new ban prevents fishermen from hunting reef sharks in all of the Maldives' 26 atolls and for up to 12 nautical miles (22km) off the atoll coasts.

It will be extended in one year's time to include a ban on hunting oceanic sharks such as tiger sharks and whale sharks, Dr Ibrahim Didi, minister for fisheries and agriculture, said.

"The protection measures… should lead to a sharp recovery in shark numbers, providing a boon for both the environment and the tourism industry," Didi said.

"It will pave the way to a complete ban on the export of all shark products."