The Regional Station (RS), Minicoy of ICAR–Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CIARI), Sri VijayaPuram, in collaboration with the MalikuMasveringeJamaat (Maliku Fishermen Society), Lakshadweep, successfully deployed the second Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) on 18 January 2026 to enhance livelihood security of the fisher community of Minicoy Island.
Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) are floating structures designed to attract pelagic tuna species by creating a conducive micro-habitat through floating and attracting components. The technology improves fishing efficiency by increasing fish availability while significantly reducing searching time and operational costs.
The FAD was anchored in the open ocean at a distance of 8.5 nautical miles from the shore at Latitude 08°24′18.66″ N and Longitude 72°57′15.38″ E. The deployment was carried out by Dr.Gladston Y., Dr. S. M. Ajina, Dr.Saneera E. K., ShriShareefuddeen Hassan K., and ShriArif M. I.
The event was graced by Smt. Farseena, Fisheries Unit In-charge, Minicoy, and Shri Shamsuddeen Annarugothi, President, Maliku Masveringe Jamaat (Maliku Fishermen Society).
The deployment was carried out under the supervision and coordination of Dr. Jai Sunder, Director, ICAR-CIARI, Sri VijayaPuram, and Dr. I. Jaisankar, Principal Scientist & Nodal Officer, RS Minicoy. They appreciated the collaborative efforts of the MalikuMasveringeJamaat and emphasized the importance of FAD technology in promoting sustainable fisheries and strengthening the socio-economic conditions of island fishing communities.