AQUACULTURE – ‘SEAWEED’ AS A SUSTAINABLE FOOD

• Microalgae (Spirulina platensis) – the culture remained stable, with a total stock culture of approximately 20L maintained as the inoculum. From this stock, 5L cultures were periodically established for harvesting, with a total of five harvest cycles completed to date. The harvested Spirulina was weighed as wet biomass initially, and then subsequently dehydrated to obtain the final dry weight. The culture has remained stable, allowing for regular production and harvesting. Spirulina was provided to the kitchen to assess its incorporation into potential preparations and to evaluate its suitability for use in the restaurant, with several tasting trials conducted during the month.
• Sea Grapes (Caulerpa racemosa) – culture continues in our new Marine Landaa Garden growing system that we established in last month. We performed maintenance work to optimise growing conditions and improve the overall organisation and appearance of the cultivation area. Regular deliveries to the resort kitchen continued at 50g daily, with regular deliveries to Blu Restaurant, providing a monthly total of 2.65kg for culinary use. Biomass management will continue to be adjusted according to kitchen demand, ensuring a balance between sustainable production and operational needs.
• Elkhorn Sea Moss (Kappaphycus alvarezii) – May’s cultivation continued growing during July, with the culture maintained in the sea pen adjacent to the grouper cage. Although the sea pen provides increased water circulation and greater depth, the algae continue to be affected by the presence of epiphytic organisms and grazing pressure from marine organisms.
• Crunchy Hair Grass (Boodlea sp.) – The cultivation of Boodlea has been discontinued as the biomass weakened due to the reduction in light availability. In addition, the processing of this alga for kitchen use requires a significant amount of labour. Therefore, priority is given to the cultivation of our other algal species that are proving more suitable for kitchen applications.

Guest Excursions

At Kuda Huraa this month, a total of 257 guests enjoyed 43 different excursions to 7 different marine sites in the area, where we recorded 15 different megafauna species. 

At Landaa Giraavaru, we conducted 28 guided tours of our Marine Discovery Centre for a total of 90 guests representing 13 different nationalities. The USA represents the most guests (17 visitors, 3 tours) and also the highest number of children (6 kids). The average duration for a tour is approximately 25 minutes; the tours with more children tend to generate more questions and last longer.

Impressively, we conducted 26 guided snorkel excursions this month, enjoyed by 270 guests. Across 10 separate Dolphin Cruises for 147 guests, we recorded sightings of almost 1000 dolphins across 3 different species (spinners, bottlenose, Risso’s).

Summer Camp 2026

During the Landaa Giraavaru Summer Camp 2026, there have been coral-focused sessions delivered to guests giving, them the opportunity to learn about corals and build a coral frame. In total, we welcomed 17 participants across both sessions, with great interest in our Coral Restoration Project and the importance of protecting the Maldivian reefs. The Legends of this year’s Summer Camp receive a medium coral frame each, sponsored by Four Seasons, and forming a new reef that is dedicated to the Legends of today and tomorrow.

Junior Marine Savers

July was a busy month, teaching eager learners who were excited to dive into marine biology through coral, turtle and dolphin-based sessions. We enjoyed teaching a range of topics from the evolution of turtles and threats they face, or the life cycle of corals, to the fascinating lives of dolphins.
Kids then took part in feeding our turtle patients, building coral frames and identifying dolphins using Darwin software, before exploring the coral reef ecosystem at our channel site. These snorkel trips often provide exciting encounters with turtles, sharks, and an abundance of fish among the coral – it is always a pleasure to showcase the wonders below the water to curious youngsters.

Marine Discovery Centre Team

This month we welcomed Eve and Finn to our team. Eve is from the UK with a BSc in Marine Biology from Newcastle University. She spent two months as our Intern at Landaa Giraavaru, and made such a positive impression that she was promoted to a permanent position as Asst Coral Biologist at Kuda Huraa. Finn studied Biology at the University of Bristol, and he is excited to join our Marine Biology team to continue developing our Cetacean ID project.

We said goodbye to two valued members of our Marine Discovery Centre team: Olivia (Manager) and Rylee (Marine Biologist). Olivia has overseen the department throughout the past year; her presence will be sorely missed, and we wish her every success in the future. Rylee first joined as an intern before becoming our full-time Marine Biologist. She was a valuable team member, playing a key role in developing our dolphin ID project. She leaves us to pursue a Master’s in marine conservation.

We are also delighted to announce two promotions within our Marine Savers team. Katie is now our Manager of the Marine Discovery Centre, while Aditya has been promoted from Assistant to fully-fledged Coral Biologist. We congratulate them both on their new roles and look forward to seeing their continued contributions to our conservation projects.

Baa Atoll Marine Biology Internship (for Maldivians)

Our Baa Atoll Marine Biology Internship continued to inspire the next generation of marine conservationists through its staged learning programme.

Stage 1 – we welcomed 19 students and provided an introduction to the underwater world, offering a glimpse into the daily work of marine biologists in the Maldives. Through classroom sessions, hands-on activities, and exposure to marine conservation projects, participants gained a deeper appreciation for the marine environment and the diverse career opportunities available within the field.

Stage 3 – several ‘graduates’ from stages 1-2 returned to further develop their skills and knowledge. Participants had the opportunity to obtain their Open Water SCUBA certification, take a more active role in fieldwork, and engage in more in-depth classroom studies. The programme also introduced students to resort operations and the variety of career pathways available within the hospitality industry. The stage was a major success, with many students expressing strong enthusiasm for marine conservation and already enquiring about opportunities to join the official Four Seasons Hospitality Apprenticeship Programme in the future.