CHAPTER 13 • Coastal Zone Management: Issues and Initiatives in Small South Asian Nations 243
the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl habitat, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of
Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, the International Convention on Civil Liability
for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC) and OILPOL (1954). The articles of association of the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) have, however, not been ratified by Bangladesh.
13.4
Coastal Zone Management in Maldives
The Maldives comprise about 1190 low-lying islands of which"" 200 are inhabited. The
country\is rich in coral reefs which provide the living base on which these fragile ecosystems are established. The small size and relative isolation of these islands make them
particularly vulnerable. The economic and physical survival of Maldives hinges on its
ability to maintain its coastal ecosystem. The two most important industries in Maldives
- tourism and fishing - are both directly dependent on coastal resources and a healthy
coastal environment. Ironically, the few recent instances of coastal degradation in the
Maldives are a direct consequence of unsustainable resource-use practices pursued by
the tourism and fisheries sector.
13.4.1
Marine Resources and Exploitation
The reef life is very diversified and is rich in species and number of organisms. Fish,
lobsters, sea cucumbers, giant clams and many other organisms are present in the reef,
while the reef corals themselves are very diversified. Reefs are indispensable for fisheries and the construction industry. Until recently, coral rocks had been used as building materials, the coral' usually being mined from reef flats.
13.4.2
Environmental Threats to the Coastal Environments
Coastal resources in Maldives are currently being exposed to several threats, important are the following.
13.4.2.1
Coral and Sand Mining
Living coral is stripped from shallow reef tops to meet the demands of the construction industry. Tourism has increased the demand for coral rock for construction of
resorts. Coral mining increases the vulnerability of coastal areas to tide and wave-induced erosion and sand movements. It also reduces the diversity and quantity of coral
reef fishes, including that of baitfish essential for tuna fishery. Sand has been traditionally mined from shallow lagoons around the islands and from beaches (Brown and
Dunne 1988; Naseer 1996).
the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl habitat, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of
Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, the International Convention on Civil Liability
for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC) and OILPOL (1954). The articles of association of the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) have, however, not been ratified by Bangladesh.
13.4
Coastal Zone Management in Maldives
The Maldives comprise about 1190 low-lying islands of which"" 200 are inhabited. The
country\is rich in coral reefs which provide the living base on which these fragile ecosystems are established. The small size and relative isolation of these islands make them
particularly vulnerable. The economic and physical survival of Maldives hinges on its
ability to maintain its coastal ecosystem. The two most important industries in Maldives
- tourism and fishing - are both directly dependent on coastal resources and a healthy
coastal environment. Ironically, the few recent instances of coastal degradation in the
Maldives are a direct consequence of unsustainable resource-use practices pursued by
the tourism and fisheries sector.
13.4.1
Marine Resources and Exploitation
The reef life is very diversified and is rich in species and number of organisms. Fish,
lobsters, sea cucumbers, giant clams and many other organisms are present in the reef,
while the reef corals themselves are very diversified. Reefs are indispensable for fisheries and the construction industry. Until recently, coral rocks had been used as building materials, the coral' usually being mined from reef flats.
13.4.2
Environmental Threats to the Coastal Environments
Coastal resources in Maldives are currently being exposed to several threats, important are the following.
13.4.2.1
Coral and Sand Mining
Living coral is stripped from shallow reef tops to meet the demands of the construction industry. Tourism has increased the demand for coral rock for construction of
resorts. Coral mining increases the vulnerability of coastal areas to tide and wave-induced erosion and sand movements. It also reduces the diversity and quantity of coral
reef fishes, including that of baitfish essential for tuna fishery. Sand has been traditionally mined from shallow lagoons around the islands and from beaches (Brown and
Dunne 1988; Naseer 1996).