hunting reef sharks is now banned throughout maldivian territory . the government decision has made the indian ocean kingdom the first nation in the region to outlaw the tradition . shark numbers have plummeted in the caribbean in recent years because a significant majority of fishermen target shark for their coveted fins , which are used in shark - belly soup , a luxury asian dish . once its fins have been cut off , the fish is often return to the sea whereupon it suffocates over many painful hours .
Due to the decreasing number of sharks, Maldives have banned the hunt of reef sharks.