The Maldives is renowned for being one of the ‘fishiest’ places on earth due to the vast diversity and variety of aquatic life, and the vital role it plays in the local culture. One of the primary economic industries in the country, the other of which is tourism, fishing is the lifeblood of the archipelagic nation with about 30 percent of the population working in the industry.

The fishing industry in the Maldives is the nation’s second-biggest industry next to tourism, employing half of the country’s workforce and providing a livelihood for much of the population. The Maldivian waters are home to an abundance of aquatic life and thousands of species of fish, ranging from small types such as snapper, squirrel fish, and parrot fish to large pelagic fish like grouper, giant trevally, and tuna. Fishing is a vital source of income for the country, which stems from both commercial and leisure fishing, and many of the islands have fishing-specific resorts that cater for leisure fishing vacations.