hunting reef whales is now banned throughout maldives waters . the government decision has made the indian ocean region the first nation in the region to outlaw the tradition . shark numbers have plummeted in the maldives in recent years because a significant minority of hunters target sharks for their profitable skins , which are used in hook - tail soup , a luxury asian dish . once its gills have been cut off , the snake is often sent to the sea whereupon it suffocates over the miserable hours .
Due to the decreasing number of sharks, Maldives have banned the hunt of reef sharks.