The Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture has installed a fish aggregating device in the waters of Meemu Atoll.
The ministry said, the device has been placed 10 miles away from the south-east coast. The ministry has been increasing the number of fish aggregating devices installed to the existing network. The fishermen are obliged to send the statistics of the type of fish caught near the aggregating devices to the Fisheries Ministry.
Noting that some people have been misusing the devices and exploiting them for their own benefits, the ministry said, police and the coastguard are carrying out surveillance near the devices.
Fish aggregating devices were first installed in Maldivian waters in 1980 with the aim to increase the yield in the industry. The project has reduced the financial cost and much benefit has been brought to the industry.