New Island Leasing Legislation to Drive Agricultural and Mariculture Growth

Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam has announced that the newly enacted law on leasing uninhabited islands and lagoons will drive agricultural and mariculture investment while strengthening national food security.

Speaking at the public forum ‘Ahaa’, Minister Shiyam expressed concern over national food vulnerabilities, noting that the Maldives continues to rely heavily on importing agricultural commodities that local farmers could cultivate domestically. He emphasized that expanding agriculture and mariculture represents a primary government objective to curb reliance on foreign imports and retain foreign currency within the domestic economy.

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The minister explained that active agricultural initiatives currently span 10 inhabited islands, although earlier leasing efforts faced implementation hurdles. According to Minister Shiyam, the recently ratified Leasing Uninhabited Islands and Lagoons Act resolves previous statutory bottlenecks, clearing a path for new capital investments once governing regulations take effect. The government expects to finalize and enact these regulations by early October.

In the mariculture sector, the government has designated 13 specific zones for development. However, the formal evaluation of submitted proposals remains on hold until the new administrative rules officially take effect. Minister Shiyam noted that capital commitments have already begun to materialise as the government seeks sustained interventions to protect the economy against external supply shocks.

During the forum, Minister Shiyam also outlined measures aimed at strengthening the fisheries industry as a whole and supporting the broader economy.

Addressing long-standing issues surrounding rejected seafood exports, the minister stated that export operations now enforce stricter quality control policies to prevent sub-standard shipments. Under the updated framework, buyers inspect catches at Maldivian ports during loading, ensuring that suppliers identify rejected fish before finalizing export records. Historical data previously indicated rejection rates of 10 to 12 per cent on international shipments.

Minister Shiyam highlighted the importance of fostering a balanced market that allows both state bodies and private sector enterprises to operate competitively. He criticized previous policies that disregarded prevailing market prices, which he argued caused substantial losses to private operators. Additionally, the government is working to expand domestic cold-storage capacity to reduce the immediate pressure to export raw fish immediately after landing, providing further stability to the nation’s fisheries sector.