Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources has signed an agreement with Maldives Customs Service to curb illegal fishing.
The agreement aims to responsibly enforce the National Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. The agreement further aims to ensure inward and outward clearance for foreign fishing vessels docking in Maldives are issued in accordance with international guidelines.
According to the ministry, the agreement will identify and monitor illegal vessels operating in Maldivian waters. Furthermore, under the agreement, authorities will train officers to inspect both foreign vessels exporting local fish products and ease exchange of information between the fisheries ministry and the customs service.