President Dr Mohamed Waheed has inaugurated the National Forum on Fisheries this afternoon. The forum is being conducted as part of the functions being held in Vilingili of North Huvadhu Atoll, to mark this year’s Fishermen’s Day.
Speaking at the ceremony, the President highlighted the importance of exploring innovative ways to manage fisheries in a broader scale. He said that this forum provided a platform to determine the current state of the fisheries sector in the Maldives, and deliberate ways to shape the future of Maldives’ fisheries.
The President noted that the rising prices of diesel was the biggest challenge faced in the fisheries sector today, and that it largely contributed to the sale price of the fish product. Continuing on, the President said that as we introduce modern fishing technology, it was also important to explore ways to reduce the expenses of fishing vessels.
In his speech, President Waheed underlined the many achievements of the Maldives’ fisheries sector in the last 50 years, noting that today with the use of modern technology, the sector continued to be more productive and progressive. He further said that for the Maldives to achieve the Marine Stewardship Council certificate for the first time was a momentous milestone in the history of fisheries in the Maldives; of which the credit goes solely to the Maldivian fishermen, and fish exporters.
Following the inauguration of the National Forum of Fisheries, the President toured a Fishermen’s Day Trade Fair in Vilingili Island.
