Source: Minivan News
A parliamentary committee was formed yesterday in the Maldives to compile a report on the difficulties faced by fishermen and measures to revive the industry.
The committee was formed following a debate on a motion proposed by Kelaa MP Dr Abdullah Mausoom of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).
“The predicament that worries fishermen today and has led them to despair is that instead of making a sufficient income from their hard work and from their invaluable contribution to national productivity, they’ve had to spend from their own pockets to carry on doing it,†he said.
The reasons for their loss of income, Mausoom said, was the inadequate purchasing price in the north, the high price of oil – with the increasing size of fishing vessels, a boat with 20 fishermen needs on average 1,000 liters of oil a day – and the damage to the sonar buoys used to locate shoals of fish.
Fish was bought for Rf3.60 a kilo (US$ 0.28/kg) if it weighs less than 1.5kg; most of the fish caught in the Maldives weighed less than 1.5kg, he said.
Following the State Trading Organization’s (STO) decision to increase the price of diesel from Rf8.05 to Rf8.90 (US$ 0.63 to US$ 0.70) in June, he continued, fishermen have had to purchase diesel on credit.
He added the government has not provided subsidies to fishermen approved by parliament and in fishing communities such as Haa Alif Ihavandhoo, people were reluctant to become fishermen.
Mausoom said he proposed the motion because the livelihood of fishermen was at risk and the economy would be adversely affected if immediate measures were not taken.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Fisheries Minister Dr Ibrahim Didi said the motion was not based on fact and was proposed to achieve a political end.
The motion contained erroneous and misleading information, he said. “He should have been more responsible in proposing such a resolution or motion as a representative of the people.â€
Didi added DRP had not sought any information from the ministry before proposing the motion.
Usd 200 Million Corruption Case
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Madaveli Mohamed Nazim said the purchasing price of fish had increased since the new government came to power.
He referred to US$200 million corruption case of the former Fisheries Projects Implementation Department (FPID) during the former government’s reign.
Ihavandhoo MP Ahmed Abdullah said the government has begun a loan programme of Rf18 million (US$1.4 million) for fishermen.
Mathiveri MP Hussein Mohamed of the DRP said MPs should consider the problem a bipartisan issue and try to find solutions for fishermen.
Thohdhoo MP Ali Waheed said the decline of the fisheries industry was the result of putting a dentist in charge of the fisheries ministry.
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission revealed recently that over-exploitation of yellow fin tuna had been declared in the region, he said, adding the government had not provided this information to fishermen.
Fares-Maathoda MP Ibrahim Muttalib, an independent, spoke against the government’s attempts to provide health insurance coverage to fishermen, saying it was intended to deceive fishermen into signing for the ruling party.
Dhidhoo MP Ahmed Sameer of the MDP said, in the past, loans for fishermen as well as industrial islands were given to political allies.
Bottom Trawling
Isdhoo MP Ahmed Rasheed Ibrahim said 100 disgruntled fishermen from his constituency wanted to come to Male’ to meet the fisheries minister and protest over delays in repairing sonar buoys.
Thimarafushi MP Mohamed Mustafa said fishing started to decline after foreign companies were given licenses in 2000 to fish in Maldivian waters.
Foreign boats sell fish to their mother vessels in international waters, he said.
Several MPs said the fishing method of bottom trawling by foreign companies harmed the marine environment and affected local fishing.
Henveiru South MP Hamid Abdul Gafoor said fishing declined by 70 per cent from July 2006, adding there were many factors that contributed to the decline.
Mid-Hithadhoo MP Mohamed Rasheed said fishing had declined in the south because of difficulties in finding bait as a result of reefs destroyed by projects undertaken without environment impact assessment.
Most MPs said the most pressing problems facing fishermen were the fluctuating price of oil, problems buying ice and difficulties in paying back loans for mechanising their boats.
Thulhaadhoo Nazim Rashad, an independent, said 90 per cent of fishing vessels were built with loans.
The proposal to form a committee by Mathiveri MP Hussein Mohamed passed with 54 votes in favour, one against and one abstaining.
The ad hoc committee will consist of Ihavandhoo MP Ahmed Abdullah and Madaveli MP Mohamed Nazim from MDP; Fares-Maathoda MP Ibrahim Muttalib and Milandhoo MP Ali Riza, independent MPs; Abdullah Abdul Raheem from the People’s Alliance and Kelaa MP Abdullah Mausoom from the DRP.