By Reef Check Maldives Coordinator Dr. Jean-Luc Solandt
Between September 9 and 12th, Reef Check Maldives Coordinator Dr. Jean-Luc Solandt from Marine Conservation Society will be training the Marine Research Centre (MRC) of the Maldives to be Reef Check EcoDivers. The training will follow the second EcoExpedition aboard the MV Carpe Diem as part of our collaboration with Biosphere Expeditions. The MRC training programme will allow Maldivian government officials to be trained at their own department, and will be combined with training in more detailed monitoring of corals. Dr. Solandt hopes to return to Male in 2013 to follow up accreditation of the MRC as an EcoDiver certified training facility.
Dr. Solandt said, “After years of carrying out Reef Check and offering the data to the MRC for their own management purposes, we now will be training the entire MRC reef monitoring team directly. This is an exciting development for a country whose president recently announced its desire to set up further marine conservation initiatives in the country over the next five years.”