Given the deep-rooted significance of fisheries in the Maldives, it is crucial to develop and modernize the sector, particularly in islands like Bandidhoo, where a large portion of the population depends on fishing for their livelihoods.
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Fisheries has always played a vital role in the Maldives, becoming one of the most important sectors in the country since ancestral times. The industry has not only provided food on islands, even during hard times, but the fishing industry continues to provide job opportunities to people across the country to this day. In islands such as Bandidhoo, a large number of youth and the general population are engaged in the fisheries sector.
Given the deep-rooted significance of fisheries in the Maldives, it is crucial to develop and modernize the sector, particularly in islands like Bandidhoo, where a large portion of the population depends on fishing for their livelihoods. Investing in sustainable fishing practices, improving access to modern equipment, and enhancing storage and processing facilities can greatly benefit fishing communities.
One of the key aspects of development is ensuring that fishermen have access to better infrastructure, such as harbours, ice plants, and fish processing centres. These facilities can help reduce post-harvest losses and enable local fishermen to secure higher prices for their catch. With this in mind, the Government has now started work towards developing fisheries in Bandidhoo, as the Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources visited the island to lay the foundation to build an ice plant in the island. With a 30-tonne capacity, the facility is expected to address one of the key challenges faced by local fishermen—ensuring the freshness and quality of their catch. By providing a reliable supply of ice, the plant will help reduce spoilage, extend the shelf life of fish, and enable fishermen to sell their catch at more competitive prices.
Beyond immediate benefits to the fishing community, the ice plant is also expected to create new economic opportunities on the island. It will generate employment, both directly through plant operations and indirectly through supporting industries such as fish processing, storage, and transport.
As the Maldives Government works towards engaging more youth in the fisheries sector in order to ensure that fisheries remain a vital sector in the Maldives, developments in islands such as Bandidhoo continue to play a vital role, with the island having a higher number of youth partaking in fisheries with having 21 different fisheries vessels as well. With the development of the ice plant, more opportunities will be created on the island, potentially encouraging more youth to engage in the fisheries sector.
