Protesting Thinadhoo fishermen, MIFCO reopen ice plant after talks
Long queues at Kooddoo for fish weighing and difficulties in getting ice have led to protests in the past.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Alleging that there is not enough ice available from the MIFCO ice plant and no way to weigh in their catch from the island itself, the fishermen of GDh. Thinadhoo have come out protesting, locked the ice plant and threw the key into the sea. On Saturday the plant was reopened after discussions between the fishermen and MIFCO team.
Thinadhoo fishermen have been protesting since Friday, complaining that they have to be in queues for several hours at Kooddoo. The fishermen demanded that MIFCO CEO Ismail Fauzy visit Thinadhoo and meet the fishermen, after they locked the ice plant gate during the protest.
Thinadhoo council President Saud Ali said that on the request of the council, a MIFCO team arrived in Thinadhoo and met with the fishermen on Saturday.
The fishermen’s demands:
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To find a solution to the need to go weigh the fish they catch at GA. Kooddoo and arrange it to be done directly from Thinadhoo
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To dock a MIFCO fish weighing vessel at Thinadhoo harbour
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To resolve the problem of fishermen not getting enough ice when an ice plant exists on the island
During the meeting with the fishermen on Saturday, The MIFCO team assured that a fishing boat would be docked at Thinadhoo port during the good fishing season, Saud said.
Though the ice plant has been locked since Friday and the keys have been thrown into the sea, the MIFCO team met the fishermen on Saturday and after their discussion meeting, the protests have been called off and the ice plant has been reopened.
Long queues at Kooddoo for fish weighing and difficulties in getting ice have led to protests in the past.
