Minister assures fishermen of solutions within 2 weeks
As the protest continued and several fishermen were arrested on Thursday, Minister Shiyam met with a delegation from the union on Monday.
Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam on Monday assured fishermen that their concerns would be addressed within the next two weeks, following discussions with representatives of the Yellowfin Tuna Fishermen Union.
The union has been staging protests in Malé and surrounding areas since last Wednesday, raising concerns over fish purchasing arrangements, pricing, and access to fuel and ice.
The fishermen’s main demands include the resumption of purchases of large fish by the state-owned Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO), the setting of minimum fish prices at MVR 80 and MVR 100, and the provision of fuel at base rates along with improved access to ice.
As the protest continued and several fishermen were arrested on Thursday, Minister Shiyam met with a delegation from the union on Monday. More than 40 fishermen attended the meeting, which was held in two sessions and ran from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm.
After the meeting, representatives of the union told the media that they had presented six key issues to the minister. They said the minister requested a period of two weeks to identify solutions, noting that the measures need to be implemented in a sustainable manner.
According to the union, the minister said MIFCO is already taking steps to enable the purchase of large fish. He also indicated that operational arrangements related to the fisheries sector would be activated as soon as possible.
“We have received a clear indication that action will be taken within the next two weeks, although no specific date has been given,” a union representative said.
The union said the meeting was adjourned and scheduled to continue on Tuesday, as the minister had to attend another meeting related to issues raised by the fishermen.
Union vice-president Imran Mohamed said the fishermen expect clear responses in the coming days.
The union said fishermen will continue their protest peacefully and that the demonstration will only end once their demands are addressed and those detained during the protests are released.
