Your guide to fishing in the Maldives

One of the best places to go fishing

Seafood, specifically fish, is the main produce of the Maldives and a staple in the local diet. And not surprisingly, fishing is a popular leisure activity in this archipelago both among locals and foreign visitors alike. However, finding the right Maldives fishing package or fishing spot is not easy especially if you're a visitor in the country. That's why this guide outlines what you need to know about fishing here, and the types of fishing you can partake in. Read on to find out more.

There are numerous leisure fishing in the country and the one you'll use depends on the Maldives fishing tour package that you pick. Fishing season runs all-year long, though the best months are from November to March, especially if you're keen to catch some big game. Here are the most common leisure fishing activities available to the public:

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Fishing in the Maldives

What to know about fishing in the Maldives

Besides tourism, fishing is another major contributor to the country's economy. With over 1000 islands consisting of live coral reefs and strategic underwater terrain, the waters here are nutrient-dense and ideal for marine animals.

With fishing being an essential industry in the country, the Maldives have strict laws when it comes to fishing, with hefty penalties imposed on those who break them. Here are some important regulations when it comes to fishing in the Maldives:

• Reef fishing is not allowed. However, if you obtain permission from your resort, you can fish on their house reef.
Fishing on individual reefs that aren't part of an island, sandbank or any other dry land is allowed.
• Fishing from the reefs of an inhabited island by people from another island can only be carried out with approval from that island's Island Office.
• If the distance from the beach to the reef edge of an inhabited island is more than 1000 metres, you can fish beyond the 700-metre boundary of the reef.
• Fishing with nets from the reefs of Malé is prohibited.
• Catching mackerels with nets is prohibited.
• Killing sharks is prohibited.
• The use of poison, guns, or explosives is prohibited.

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Types of fishing

Shore Fishing

Shore fishing is the easiest way to fish here as you often don't need to join a Maldives fishing tour to take part in it. In shore fishing, you fish from the beach using traditional line fishing, live bait fishing, beach casting, or fly fishing. There are countless of fish species you can catch from the shore including snappers, small grouper, barracuda, and various other reef fishes.

Night fishing

This Maldives fishing package will have you join a night fishing tour where you'll anchor on the edges of a nearby atoll and fish in the dead of night. An interesting part about fishing at night in the Maldives is many people use bright lights attached to their boats to attract the fish, or hand lines with raw bait. Fish you can expect to catch include, mackerel, snappers, squirrelfish, and jackfish.

Jigging/popping

Jigging or popping is an exciting fishing method as it gets you close to the fish you're catching and requires you to handle your fishing rod effectively. As a result, it's one of the most popular options for fishing tours in the Maldives. This fishing targets similar species as shore fishing with the addition of larger fish like tuna, red bass, and the giant trevally.

Big game fishing

Big game fishing is popular with visitors who're looking for an adventure. On this trip, you'll join professional fishermen to catch fish like marlin, tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi, and more. A big game fishing package in the Maldives can range from two hours to a full day and can be a very rewarding experience.