Bait fishing has been destroyed as a result of dredging within the atoll for sand needed for large-scale land reclamation projects ongoing near Malé, the Union of Yellowfin Tuna Fishermen has said.
The union on Wednesday posted a video on X of the "Filippo Brunelleschi" dredging for sand and expressed concern after tagging Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA).
"Bait fishing has been destroyed because of Mahaa Jarraafu taking sand every day near Ihuru Vabbinfaru where yellowfin tuna fishers do the best bait fishing! We call on all the relevant authorities to put a stop to this immediately," the post read.
The video appears to show dredging for sand to reclaim Hulhumalé phase three. Work on the stalled project resumed recently.
The proposed borrow area for dredging sand for the project was from the sea near the Ihuru and Vabbinfaru resorts in Malé atoll. It was one of the best locations for bait fishing, according to the union.
A total of 7.1 million cubic meters of sand will be needed for the project, for which a 3,600 meter area will be dug 2.5 meters deep.
The suction dredger is 27.5 meters wide and 142.5 meters long with a hopper capacity of 11,300 cubic meters.
Massive land reclamation projects are ongoing in the Malé region, including expanding the Gulhifalhu landmass to 303 hectares and Giraavaru to 200 hectares. A project has also been launched to reclaim 1,153 hectares in the Fushidhiggaru lagoon.
