The Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) deployed 12 miles off the coast of L. Hithadhoo, specifically for pole-and-line fishing, has been broken and adrift for over five months.
Hithadhoo skippers and fishermen commonly refer to this FAD as the "Vote FAD". Since the FAD broke loose, fishermen have had to endure the resulting difficulties, and the matter has been brought to the attention of the Fisheries Ministry. A skipper from Mundoo, who advocates for such issues in Laamu Atoll, stated that both the island council and the ministry are aware of the situation, and he expressed concern that no party is working to resolve it.
"Even on the day the FAD broke loose, I called Deputy Minister Shafiu and told him. He said the council must notify them officially. So now we consider it officially known. More than five months have passed without this being resolved. While this FAD remains damaged and ignored, jigging FADs are being deployed in the northern islands," the skipper said.
The skipper mentioned that because the "Vote FAD" is damaged and unmaintained, they now have to travel to the Gan, Maavashu Fares, or Mundoo FADs for bait fishing. He noted that from all perspectives, this results in unnecessary out-of-pocket expenses.
Due to the delay in repairing the Vote FAD and the ongoing complaints from skippers, the issue was shared with the Minister of State for Fisheries, Mohamed Muthalib. He explained that the delay in repairing the FADs is because the casting of concrete blocks required for the repairs has been halted.
Muthalib stated that the concrete blocks are cast by the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, and that the casting has temporarily stopped because their site office was taken over for a building project. He added that work is currently underway to build a shed for casting the blocks, and once completed, the arrangements for casting will be finalized, and repair trips will commence very soon.
"Work is currently underway to build a shed in a small area. Once finished, we are hoping to make a trip within this month. But it is not certain yet," Muthalib said.
Muthalib noted that the first FAD repair trip will be to the south, and priority will be given to repairing the FADs that have broken loose during that trip.
Therefore, the "Vote FAD" can only be repaired during the trip to the south.
The "Vote FAD" is a very popular FAD among fishermen from the central and southern atolls. Southern fishermen also visit and fish at this FAD during periods of good fishing in the area.
