Emergency motion over lack of facilities to weigh yellowfin tuna catches

Parliament, on Wednesday, has accepted an emergency motion submitted by Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyadh regarding the lack of facilities to weigh yellowfin tuna catches, as a result of which over 120 tons of yellowfin tuna currently on the verge of spoilage.

The emergency motion was accepted by the votes of 40 lawmakers.

In his emergency motion, Ziyadh underscored that it is an electoral pledge of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to shift the purchase of yellowfin tuna under state-owned Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Limited (MIFCO) and maintain the price of yellowfin tuna between MVR 80 and MVR 100.

While this has not been achieved to date, Ziyadh emphasized concerns surrounding the lack of facilities to weigh catches by yellowfin tuna fishermen, adding that even when catches are weighed, fishermen face prolonged delays in receiving payment.

The emergency motion raised concerns over the likelihood of more than 120 tons of yellowfin tuna currently stored on vessels getting spoiled due to not being weighed. It also noted that long queues, with fishermen waiting for days to weigh their catch, have become a regular issue.

“Due to the lack of adequate weighing facilities, fishermen face significant hardships during high fishing seasons. Moreover, fishermen have voiced concerns about their inability to sell their catches at favorable prices, despite a rising demand for fish driven by global economic growth,” it read.

Ziyadh pointed out that the majority of Maldivians are either fishermen or come from fishing families, and warned that if the current situation continues, the financial condition of fishermen will deteriorate significantly, negatively impacting the overall well-being of society.

As such, he said the emergency motion was submitted to bring the matter to the attention of the government as the issue is directly linked to public interest.

While debating on the emergency motion during Wednesday's sitting, Ziyadh urged other lawmakers to productively debate on the difficulties faced by yellowfin tuna fishermen and encourage that they be addressed promptly.

The shortage of facilities to weigh fishermen’s catches has been a long-standing problem in the Maldives.

Another major concern has been the delays in processing payments to fishermen. In response, the current administration began issuing payments within 24 hours starting December 10th, coinciding with National Fishermen’s Day, as part of efforts to address the issue.