The Maldives Attorney-General’s office has announced that eighteen fishermen in Haa Alif, Dhidhdhoo have been charged with disturbing the peace, after they dumped tones of tuna inside the atoll office in February.
The fishermen were protesting over MIFCO’s inability to purchase their catch, which was forcing fishermen to throw tones of fresh tuna into the sea each week.
MIFCO is the government-run fisheries company. A lack of capacity in their reefer vessels has been a source of deep frustration to fishermen for years.
Many have been forced into poverty, unable to repay loans taken to buy their boats because the government is unable buy their tuna.
“We have no other alternative. The Dhidhdhoo economy is in a dire state… we do not have another way of earning [money],†a fisherman told during February’s protest.
“We waited to see if there would be an alternative and have looked to the government to provide a solution [but there was none]. So, today we have resorted to this method as we have run out of alternatives,†he added.
All eighteen fishermen have been charged with disturbing the peace and have been ordered to pay a fine of Rf.35,000 each. Ten of the eighteen fishermen have also been charged with obstructing the duty of a government official.
Fish dumped in Didhoo’s Atoll Office
