Gnaviyani (Gn)
Not listed.
The Farikede Area, located in Fuvahmulah City Island Atoll in the southern Maldives, was officially designated as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) on 22 July 2020 under the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act (Law no. 4/93). Encompassing 6.37km², Farikede Area forms a core area and buffer zone of the Fuvahmulah UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is classified as a Category 6 Habitat/Species Management Area, aligned with IUCN Category IV for sustainable use of natural resources.
Renowned globally as a premier dive site, the MPA hosts a rich diversity of threatened and endangered shark and ray species, including thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus), oceanic manta rays (Mobula birostris), scalloped hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini), and whale sharks (Rhincodon typus). It also serves as a locally important habitat for reef shark species such as whitetip (Triaenodon obesus) and silvertip (Carcharhinus albimarginatus). Farikede is part of the Fuvahmulah Atoll Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA), recognised by the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Shark Specialist Group in 2023. As part of this globally and locally significant network, Farikede holds exceptional ecological, economic, and cultural value. These include internationally important populations of threatened sharks and rays, the economic benefits generated through dive tourism, and the enduring social and cultural connections to traditional fishing practices.