Maldives · Spearfishing zone
Banana Reef Protected Marine Area (Gaathugiri, North Malé Atoll)
Prohibited zonemarine reserve / protected dive site
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Banana Reef Protected Marine Area (Gaathugiri, North Malé Atoll).
Banana Reef (Gaathugiri) was the first protected dive site (1989) and the Maldives' first declared protected marine area, located about 8 km from Malé in North Malé Atoll. Fishing, anchoring and coral collection are prohibited inside the protected dive-site area, reinforcing the nationwide spearfishing ban.
On the coast
Location
Approximate reference point for this zone. See the full picture on the interactive map.
4.2396°N, 73.5275°E
View on the mapSource
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Maldives
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
No license requiredvia Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources