The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy in Malé on Wednesday, 14 October, recognised a 1.71 square kilometre area within Emboodhoo Lagoon at Crossroads Maldives as an Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measure, making it the largest designated OECM site in the country.
OECMs are areas the ministry endorses for delivering long-term, in situ biodiversity conservation outside traditional protected zones. The recognised area forms an ecological corridor next to resorts in the Emboodhoo Lagoon complex and is managed by a Crossroads OECM unit working with government agencies, private partners and local communities.
Crossroads Maldives said that since opening in 2019 it has used drone surveillance, underwater cameras and GPS monitoring for conservation. Surveys it cited have recorded more than 37 coral genera, 177 reef fish species and 24 species on the IUCN Red List, including critically endangered hawksbill turtles, ornate eagle rays, bowmouth guitarfish, giant guitarfish and scalloped hammerheads. The company also said the area protects a migration route for spinner and bottlenose dolphins, with sighting probabilities reaching 86 percent.
Singha Estate chief executive Chairath Sivapornpan said the recognition showed that integrating nature into business decisions from the outset could deliver measurable results, and linked the step to the global 30x30 conservation target. S Hotels and Resorts chief executive Michael Marshall said conservation was part of how the group operates and called the OECM a significant milestone in its sustainable development strategy.
The designation is expected to benefit nearby communities, researchers, government partners and visitors. Crossroads said it should also help safeguard dive sites such as Emboodhoo Canyon and open opportunities for Maldivian students and researchers to take part in marine conservation work. The ministry's recognition does not create a new traditional protected area; it confirms conservation outcomes already being delivered under OECM criteria.