Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has stated that it has become difficult to find Maldivians who want to work in the fisheries industry.
While answering a question during today's media briefing regarding the work being done to reduce expatriate workers and increase Maldivians in the fisheries and agriculture fields, the minister said that there are obstacles in hiring Maldivians for primary industry positions.
"Especially fisheries. It is a very unique line of work. It is not enough to say our pole and line fishing is something not done in other countries. It is done but it is relatively low," said Shiyam.
Even though Maldivians were at the forefront of the fishing industry, there are major obstacles in hiring Maldivians, said the minister. And so, he highlighted that they are working to increase interest in fishing among the youth, and to bring them out into the field.
Five youths have set out on the five best fishing vessels as part of a program, and the minister said that they continue being fishermen. He also said that the program will be held for additional youth this year.
Minister Shiyam shared his concern about the reasons why Maldivians do not want to go into fisheries. One of them is that fishermen are given political posts, and another being previous governments excluding fishermen, said Shiyam.
"Even if a fisherman spends their life in the industry until retirement, the state does not know which field they were in, and how many children they raised and sent out into society," as was said by the minister.
"This is how willing to serve fishermen are. The state does not acknowledge this. No banks acknowledge this. No financing institute acknowledges this. They cannot take out a loan to educate their children, or even a loan to build their homes. Fishermen have become people the state and financial system do not recognize."
The minister went on to say that it was the current government that made a registry acknowledging the work fishermen do and made it so that they can take out loans.
