President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Tuesday decided to designate as protected areas six naturally unique and eco-rich areas in the Laamu Atoll. The sites President Solih decided to designate for protected status include wetlands, reefs, lagoons, mangroves, seagrass meadows, and beaches.
The decision was made after deliberations on a paper proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology at the Cabinet Meeting held at the President’s Office today. The six sites in Laamu Atoll are among marine habitats earlier this year declared as “Hope Spots” by the international marine conservation non-profit Mission Blue.
Under the administration’s pledge to protect at least one island, one reef, and one wetland from each atoll, it has already declared as marine protected areas a total of 14,423 hectares under the Environment Protection and Preservation Act.
