Fisheries Ministry starts Project for Formulation of Master Plan for Sustainable Fisheries

Fisheries Ministry has on Wednesday started the Project for the Formulation of Master Plan for Sustainable Fisheries (Fish Plan).

The project is carried out with technical assistance from the government of Japan. The three year project’s purpose is to formulate a long term plan for sustainable fisheries in the country for upcoming ten years.

In that regard, Fisheries Ministry has started a meeting with relevant experts in the field in Customs. How fisheries must be operated and development of a plan for the progress of the country and its economy through fisheries would be discussed in the meeting.

Minister of State for Fisheries, Zahaa Waheed said that there are challenges in fishing since pole and line is the type of fishing adapted in Maldives for this long. She noted that there are other types of fishing as well and efforts will be made to a sustainable fishery by identifying ways to get benefit from all those types of fishing.

“We have planned to work on four different dimensions. They are deep sea fish, reef fish, aquaculture and preparation of fish and fish products” said Zahaa.

Zahaa highlighted on the importance of participation of all stakeholders in the fishing industry in formulating such a plan.