The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture has warned against recreational and forms of fishing other than pole-and-line near fishing buoys.

The ministry said in a statement on Sunday that they have received numerous complaints of vessels netting and drop lining, both fishing techniques, near the buoys.

The ministry further said that the buoys are placed especially for pole-and-line and that they are maintained in order to assist this form of fishing.

The statement highlights that any form of fishing other than pole-and-line within three nautical miles of the buoys is strictly prohibited under Article 17 of the ‘Fisheries Act of Maldives.

The buoys, polyethylene foam floats usually laminated with fiber glass, are used to mark areas designated for pole-and-line fishing; 2016 statistics show that 90 percent of Maldivian fish catch are from near these areas.

The Maldives launched the ‘Oevaali Kandhufathi’ program to place the buoys and maintain them in 1981. In Sunday’s statement, the ministry highlighted that the program is an ‘expensive’ one.