The Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, has emphasised the need for regional cooperation to ensure the sustainability of the fisheries industry. He made the statement while addressing at a high-level meeting held as part of the Bay of Bengal Programme (BOBP) held at Villa Nautica Resort Maldives.
The Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation is a regional body working towards the sustainability of the fisheries industry among the countries within the Bay of Bengal. The ongoing high-level meeting on Policy Guidance for Mainstreaming the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management in Small-Scale Fisheries is jointly organised by the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources BOBP. The meeting, held from 20 to 22 this month, was inaugurated by Minister Shiyam and is attended by the heads of the fisheries ministries of neighbouring countries.
In his address, the Minister highlighted the importance of sustainable fisheries. Noting that the Maldives practices sustainable fishery, the Minister expressed gratitude to the BOBP for its cooperation and support in promoting fisheries in the Maldives. The Minister also noted the efforts being made by regional countries to promote sustainable fisheries.
Further noting regional countries’ cooperation in formulating policies relevant to fisheries, the Minister emphasised the importance of regional solidarity in addressing shared challenges such as IUU fishing, vessel monitoring and enforcement, and climate resilience in fisheries. He highlighted that the Indian Ocean is is a shared resource and that it is the collective responsibility of the countries that lie within it to manage and protect its resources.
In addition to the Maldives, representatives from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are participating in the meeting. The opening ceremony was attended by the Ambassadors of these countries to the Maldives. Additionally, the Labour Ministries of the participating nations also shared their efforts to develop fisheries in their respective countries.