The Maldives, a group of gorgeous atolls south of India, has been most affected by sea level rise, with many islands completely disappearing over the past 30 years. The peak elevation in the nation is 7’10”. Its president once did an interview submerged underwater to show the world the severity of its No. 1 threat.
On this journey, I enjoyed my first ever scuba diving experience. The coral reefs were brilliant, colorful, attracting a glorious amalgam of fish and mysterious sea creatures. But then a definitive species came sharply into focus. Never had I seen a shark while swimming in the ocean… and there it was… five feet in front of me… a large black tipped reef shark. A beautiful, and yet heart-pounding encounter full of reverence and mutual respect. As I turned to watch it glide away, there were many others. An entire group of them.
This was my introduction to sharks in the Maldives, an enthralling, near spiritual experience from which to draw inspiration for my interview with one of the Maldives’ esteemed shark experts and conversationists, Marie Saleem. I soon found out that sharks are endangered in the Maldives’ waters, due to high demand in China for shark fin soup. 100 million are taken out of international waters annually. This region of the Indian Ocean was like the wild west for shark finners. Marie didn’t hesitate in the face of government bureaucracy and patriarchy. She won the support of the international community in fighting for a ban on shark fishing in Maldivian waters. It finally happened in 2010. This is her story.