Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture has begun work to form a grouper fishery management advisory committee.
Grouper Fishery Management Plan dictates an advisory committee needs to be formed within three months after the plan is published in the Government Gazette. The plan dictates that the Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture Hussain Rasheed Hassan is required to appoint 12 members to the committee.
The committee will consist of a member from the ministry's fisheries department, a member from the Maldives Marine Resources Institute, three members involved in grouper fishery, and two members involved in exporting groupers. The committee will also consist of a member from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, a member from the Ministry of Economic Development, a member from the Ministry of Tourism, and a member from the Local Government Authority (LGA). It will further consist of a member from the Maldives Customs Services, a member from the Maldives Police Service (MPS), a member from a relevant non-governmental organisation, and a scientist with expertise in grouper fishery.
The committee will be responsible for managing the grouper fishery and monitoring the adherence to the Grouper Fishery Management Plan. The committee will advise the fisheries ministry on the latest reports, findings, meetings, and discussions on grouper fishery.
It will also advise the ministry on the regional and international regulations on the catching and exporting of groupers.