Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources, and Agriculture Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan has stated the duty levied by the European Union (EU) on Maldives fish products is a major obstacle in providing fair prices to fishermen. He made the statement while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Fishermen's Forum held on the occasion of Fisherman's Day.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Hassan highlighted the issues in the Maldives fisheries sector and said the ministry's highest priority is to provide fair prices for fishermen's catch. The minister said there is numerous work to be done to meet this goal and that the biggest obstacle is the duty levied by the EU on Maldives fish exports. However, he said the government is working to solve the issue.
The main topics of discussion during the forum are the challenges faced by Maldivian fishermen, such as not receiving fair prices for their catch, and the lack of opportunity to sell fish products to primary markets. Other points of discussion are the rising price of oil and the rising cost of fishing in the country.
The fishermen participating in the forum also made complaints about selling fish products as raw materials instead of processing the fish into high-value products. Some fishermen highlighted that some countries in the Indian Ocean are underselling their fish products to compete with the Maldives.
Senior officials of fisheries companies and fishermen from across the country are participating in the two-day Fishermen's Forum being held in Gaafaru, Kaafu Atoll. The purpose of the forum is to hold discussions on the challenges faced by Maldivian fishermen and find solutions, stated the ministry.