M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives. Marine Research Section, Ministry of
Fisheries and Agriculture, Republic of Maldives. 408 pp.
FOREWORD
The Bay of Bengal Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
are proud to be associated with this important document, which is a catalogue of fishes in the
Maldives. The Message from the President of the Maldives reflects the importance he and the
government accord to the subject.
The BOBP is committed to support the efforts of its member-governments to promote fisheries
management. In the Maldives, we are assisting development of a model for participatory
community-based integrated reef resources management.
Essential to such a process is knowledge of the rich fish resources of the Maldives. This
comprehensive well-illustrated catalogue will be of great help to fishery scientists and officials, to
fish exporters, students and to fishermen themselves, besides serving as an invaluable reference
book for researchers around the world.
We compliment the Marine Research Section of the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture of the
Republic of Maldives, and the scientists and researchers and artists who made this magnificent
publication possible. We are sure it will promote the cause of fisheries management and economic
development in the Maldives, besides being a useful contribution to knowledge.
Dr. Kee-Chai CHONG
Programme Coordinator
Bay of Bengal Programme / FAO
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The production of this volume was a major team effort by the staff of the Marine Research Section.
This work is largely based on the previous four Catalogues of Fishes of the Maldives; the efforts
of all contributors to those earlier volumes are gratefully acknowledged. That this volume has
been produced at all is in large part the result of the work of Ibrahim Naeem, who sorted and
arranged all specimens in the MRS collection, checked identifications, revised existing sheets
prepared new ones for new additions, and overseen the whole production of this work. Ahmed
Hafiz wrote most of the Dhivehi sections. Dr. R. Charles Anderson prepared much of the English
text, and also provided the colour slides for the plates. Most line drawings for new additions were
prepared and many old line drawings were redrawn by Ibrahim Faizan. Ibrahim Nadheeh was
responsible for layout and provided much editorial assistance; he and Fathimath Zeena carried out
most of the word-processing. Other MRS staff members who have made contributions to this
volume include Ajula Rasheed, Hussein Zahir and Hamid Shafeeu. Mr. Ahmed Shakir kindly
assisted with the layout.
This book contains the most extensive and comprehensive Dhivehi text yet produced on the fishes
of the Maldives. It is therefore most appropriate that His Excellency President Maumoon Abdul
Gayyoom, who has long had a profound interest in and concern for the fish and fisheries of our
country, has provided a Dhivehi message. We are most grateful to him.
The Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, the Hon. Hassan Sobir, provided much encouragement
throughout. Funds for printing were generously provided by the Bay of Bengal Programme, a
regional fisheries development programme based in Madras.
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