When staying at Kuredu Resort Maldives you can’t help but be in constant awe of the ocean – it surrounds the island in warm clear lagoons, displays countless hues of blue that make the most incredible backdrops to your holiday snaps, provides a playground with endless possibilities of adventure and discovery, not to mention the wonderful fish on the menu of the restaurants. The ocean is much more than what we see though, it is the life source of our planet – covering seven-tenths of the Earth’s surface, it provides at least 50% of the world’s oxygen, is home to more biodiversity than on land and it provides food and a livelihood to millions of people.

World Oceans Day, celebrated on 8th June each year, seeks to highlight the importance of the ocean and the need to protect it in any way we can. Worldwide, it is estimated that 90% of big fish populations have been depleted and 50% of coral reefs destroyed – humanity’s current rate of use of the ocean and its species is unsustainable. The theme for World Oceans Day 2023 is ‘Tides are Changing‘ and seeks to bring the global community together, not just for a day, but long-term, in a bid to give the oceans the attention and resources they deserve. Despite the oceans covering the majority of our planet, only a small portion has been explored and, despite our reliance on it, the ocean receives only a fragment of our attention and resources in return…and it’s time for the tide to change with that!

When you visit the Maldives and see first-hand the beauty and abundance of life under the sea, do take a moment to appreciate that it’s not like this everywhere but with global collective global action we can make a difference. If each person pledges to do something, no matter how small it can create big change, for example, say no to plastic, support initiatives and businesses who put the ocean first and spread the word to others.

Here in the Maldives local fishermen use the traditional method of pole and line fishing which is sustainable and Kuredu sources its fish locally, supporting the livelihoods of the communities on the local islands. Among other ocean conservation efforts, the Maldives has over 40 Marine Protected Areas, a decade-long (and continuing) ban on shark fishing and a current ban on longline fishing, and numerous marine species are protected.

We, along with Prodivers, the dive center on the island, avidly promote sustainable snorkelling and scuba diving practices with a look but don’t touch policy. While staying with us at Kuredu we strongly recommend you join a snorkel tour, or lesson if you’ve never tried it before, because we believe that not only will you love the adventure and see the hidden treasures of the Maldives, but after coming face to face with endangered turtles and huge numbers of colourful fish, you’ll be in a great position to spread the word about the need to protect the oceans.