Fisheries Ministry team obstructed by Dhevvadhoo fishermen

Dhevvadhoo fishermen blocked a Fisheries Ministry team visiting the island to provide information on loans for installing RO plants on fishing vessels to keep freshly caught fish cold.

When a team from the ministry visited Dhevvadhoo yesterday afternoon, the local fishermen expressed their dissatisfaction and forced the team to leave the island. Videos from the scene circulating on social media show the team members surrounded and fishermen shouting at them.

Deputy Minister Ahmed Shafiu who traveled to the island with the team told local media outlet Mihaaru that the fishermen's biggest complaint was the delay in receiving payments owed to them.

Shafiu said although the trip was originally scheduled for Friday, it was postponed to today due to fishermen's complaints. He acknowledged that they were aware that some fishermen had complaints even when they travelled to the island.

The team includes four other people including Shafiu. The four team members are from the Islamic Development Fund Bank (IDFB) who are active in the loan issuing process.

According to Shafiu, the team went to Dhevvadhoo at the request of some boat owners of the island who wanted to clarify information about the loan.

"[I] know the fishermen are upset. However, even if money issues have not been resolved, [the issue of] fishing vessels not getting ice and the amount that has to be spent on ice is also very high," he said.

"So, the loan which is now announced allows fishemen to install ice plants and generators on fishing vessels fairly cheap, and since Dhevvadhoo has the most number of vessels in Gaafu Alifu and Gaafu Dhaalu (atoll) without ice plants, with requests received from Dhevvadhoo yesterday and last night, we went to the island."

Currently the team is travelling to different islands of Gaafu Alifu and Gaafu Dhaalu atoll to provide information about the loan to fishermen.

The team was also met with obstruction when they visited Gaafu Alifu atoll's Dhaandhoo island as well.

Shafiu said the loan will not solve the fishermen's financial problems but will enable about 100 boat owners to store fish in their boats in an economical way.

There are about 130 fishing boats that have not been equipped with ice plants, he said.

He said that at present, teams of the ministry are working in all but four atolls of the country to provide information about the loan to fishermen.

Paying fishermen within 48 hours of buying their fish is a presidential pledge of President Muizzu. However, with large amounts already owed to fishermen when the new administration assumed power, President Muizzu's government faced significant challenges in clearing the payment. Despite this, a large portion of the due payments have been issued to fishermen by the government.

According to the latest figures, MIFCO has deposited a total of more than MVR 862 million to fishermen from November 17 last year to the third of this month.