Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has emphasised the government's commitment to developing the fishing industry, with the goal of enabling Maldivian fishermen to set competitive prices for local fish products in global markets. He made the statement during the ceremony marking the award of a government loan scheme for the installation of Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) systems on fishing vessels. The ceremony also saw the awarding of a contract to a foreign company for the establishment of a 4,000-tonne cold storage facility at the Kooddoo Fisheries Complex.
During the ceremony, Minister Shiyam acknowledged that the fishing industry has faced persistent challenges that have remained unresolved for nearly five decades. Explaining that seeking temporary solutions were the main reason why these challenges were not resolved permanently, the minister reaffirmed the commitment of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu' to address these issues with long-term strategies.
In his address, Minister Shiyam revealed that President Dr. Muizzu envisions to develop the fishing industry, such that the cost fishermen incur during fishing is low while generating more revenue. He highlighted that the construction of cold storage facilities and the development of processing factories will be pivotal in advancing the sector. These developments are expected to enhance the quality of fish products, improve pricing power in international markets, and ultimately benefit local fishermen.
Furthermore, Minister Shiyam highlighted that the efforts exerted by the current administration to modernise and develop the fishing industry was not done by any previous administration. He praised the government’s swift action in launching a number of major initiatives aimed at revitalising the sector in a relatively short period of time.