Fisheries Act amendment paves way for sports fishing harbors: President

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has stated that the recent amendment to the Maldives Fisheries Act has eliminated the legal barriers that previously hindered the development of sports fishing harbors in the Maldives.

Speaking on the amendments following the ratification of the Second Amendment Bill to the Fisheries Act (Act No. 14/2019) at a special ceremony held at the President's Office today, President Dr. Muizzu highlighted that this legislative change is a crucial step toward fulfilling one of his key pledges. The President noted that although he had pledged to build sports fishing harbors across the country, the previous legal framework did not allow for such developments.

"What is primarily achieved through this relates to my pledge to develop sports fishing harbors. However, due to how the law was structured, that was not possible. Therefore, to put it briefly, this amendment was introduced to facilitate the development of harbors and various investments for sports fishing and similar activities," the President said.

The President further stated that numerous parties have already expressed interest in developing sports fishing harbors. He added that while the government had already designated various locations for these projects, the initiatives could not proceed and the pledge remained unfulfilled solely due to existing legal constraints.

The bill was passed by the 20th People’s Majlis during the 28th sitting of its second session for 2026 on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The Second Amendment seeks to strengthen the legal framework governing administrative measures against fishing vessels, regulate fishing and aquaculture activities within protected areas, establish provisions for the development and management of dedicated fishing harbors, and introduce other necessary reforms to the fisheries sector. Following its ratification, the amendment has been published in the Government Gazette and has entered into immediate effect.