Fishers raise concerns with President over MIFCO size rule

Fishermen today brought their grievances to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu regarding the state-owned fisheries company MIFCO's decision to set the standard for premium-priced Skipjack tuna at a size of 1.5 kg and above, classifying smaller fish as lower-priced.

During a meeting with fishermen in R. Dhuvaafaru, where this year's Fishermen's Day is officially being celebrated, some fishermen stated that not receiving a good price for their catch has always been a major complaint.

A captain from Gdh. Faresmathoda noted that even private companies consider fish weighing over 1 kg to be in the better-priced category. The current highest price paid by MIFCO for raw Skip jack tuna and small Yellow fin tuna is MVR 16 per kilo.

A fisherman who complained about the elevated parameter for "small fish" said the past two years have been very difficult for fishermen, reiterating, "We are always asking the President to ensure a good price for fish."

Hassan Nasru, speaking as a captain of a boat from Addu currently in Dhuvaafaru, highlighted that since MIFCO has set the small fish limit at under 1.5 kg, they only receive MVR 7 per kilo for that category.

Another captain from Addu requested that the government increase the number of places where fishermen can sell their catch across Maldives. He also urged an increase in MIFCO's storage capacity to allow the company to buy a larger quantity of fish.

The forum, which included fishermen from Dhuvaafaru and various parts of the Maldives, also featured complaints about the congestion and the need for boats to queue to sell their catch at factories during good fishing seasons. Despite the challenges, everyone expressed hope that President Muizzu would announce "good news" for the fishermen at the official ceremony tonight in Dhuvaafaru.

Following the questions and complaints, the President responded by repeating his earlier statement that some matters take time because they must be pursued with a view to developing the economy. He assured the fishermen that he does not want to start anything that cannot be maintained sustainably or to merely make a namesake announcement.