The Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources has established fish aggregating devices (FAD) at six additional locations across the Maldives over the past week.
The ministry stated that FADs for skipjack tuna fishing are installed: 16 miles east from Dhaandhoo Gaafu Alif Atoll, 14 miles south from Gadhdhoo Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, and 15 miles east from Villingili Seenu Atoll. The FAD for sports and reef fishing was installed 10 miles east from Fuvahmulah Gnaviyani Atoll.
According to statistics released by the fisheries ministry, a total of 103 FADs has been installed across the Maldives.
The Ministry noted that no other government had installed as many FADs. The Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam had previously acknowledged that in the last year alone 44 FADs for skipjack tuna were installed.
In a press meeting Minister Shiyam announced that work to reinstall FADs that was damaged or went missing is going to be prioritised in the month. The minister stated that FADs are closely linked to the daily livelihood of fishermen and that promptly finding solutions for when FADs go missing is an aim of the Government. In this regard the minister reiterated that FADs that went missing with the tides will be reinstalled within this month.
Strong tides and draft changes to the weather are believed to be the cause for FADs breaking away. With the collaboration of the Maldives Food and Drug Authority changes are being brought to the design of FADs, to prevent them from further moving out to sea. The changes were being brought after using the same design in the Maldives for 40 years.
The minister concluded by stating that the work of installing FADs across the Maldives is aimed to be completed by next February.