The Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources has successfully concluded the second Basic Mariculture Training Course of 2026 under the Marine Hatchery Skills Development Program. Held from August 8 to 19 at the K. Maniyafushi Research and Training Facility, the program saw nine participants from various atolls complete the comprehensive training.
The Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, attended as chief guest and presented certificates to the graduates. Congratulating the participants, the Minister highlighted that across the six cohorts conducted to date, 88 individuals have developed foundational skills in mariculture. In line with presidential directives to scale up workforce capacity, the training frequency has expanded from two to four batches annually, with the third batch slated for October and the fourth for November. The Minister also urged youth and prospective entrepreneurs from Vaavu Atoll, Dhaalu Atoll, and Addu City—areas not yet represented among graduates—to participate in the upcoming cohorts to ensure complete nationwide representation.
The training program forms a vital component of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s "Hafthaa 14" roadmap, aimed at fostering a sustainable, commercially viable mariculture industry in the Maldives. Conducted by the Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI) with financial backing from the World Bank’s TRANSFORM project, the hands-on curriculum equipped participants with practical skills in aquaculture systems, live feed culture, disease prevention, environmentally sound farm practices, and the breeding of high-value marine species including grouper, sea cucumber, clownfish, pearl oysters, and seaweed.
