Minister of Fisheries Ahmed Shiyam has revealed that the funds required to increase the capacity of the Addu City Fisheries Complex has been received yesterday.

The Minister was responding to a question by Maradhoo MP Ahmed Didi in the Parliament today while making the statement.

MP Ahmed Didi asked the Minister to clarify the date on which the work would start as it is a pledge of the government to increase the capacity of the fisheries complex in Addu City. Responding, the Minister said the biggest challenge for fisheries is lack of capacity.

“It has been 47 years since the first Felivaru complex came into operation. There is no big difference between the facility then and today. Not much has been done to develop the fishing industry,” he said.

Minister Shiyam said the lack of further development of fisheries in the 28 years since MIFCO existed is also a challenge. However, after talks with funding agencies, the Islamic Development Bank (ISDB) has allocated the money as part of MIFCO's development works, he said.

Therefore, the work will start early next year and be completed by the end of that year or early 2026, he said.

The minister said it would increase the current massing capacity there from 1,500 tonnes to 2,500 tonnes. The brine freezing capacity will be increased from 50 tonnes to 100 tonnes.