Kooddoo back in operation after fishermen pause strike

Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO)’s fisheries complex in GA. Kooddoo returned to operation on Wednesday, after the government began disbursing outstanding payments to fishermen – prompting them to suspend their strike.

Fishermen – frustrated with a months-long backlog in outstanding dues – launched the strike in Kooddoo on Sunday – forcing operations at the fisheries complex to a halt.

A spokesperson from MIFCO told Sun that operations at the complex resumed on Wednesday night.

One of the fishermen involved in the strike said he had received payments for three bills. He said that though the fishermen have yet to receive all their money, they decided to suspend the strike after the government began disbursing the payments.

He declined to comment on whether the fishermen plan to resume the strike.

The suspension of the strike comes after the Fisheries Ministry announced on Wednesday evening that fishermen will be disbursed MVR 70 million in outstanding payments on Wednesday and Thursday, and an additional MVR 30 million on Monday.

Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam told the Parliament on Tuesday that the new administration has disbursed MVR 435 million in outstanding payments to fishermen since it took office in November 2023. He said the administration will settle the remaining MVR 280 million in dues within the next two weeks; MVR 100 million by Monday, and the rest by March 5.

Shiyam has repeatedly blamed the former administration’s huge backlog for the delay in settling the dues.

According to him, the new administration inherited a backlog of MVR 250 million in outstanding dues to fishermen when it took office.

Shiyam has also blasted the decision by the MDP administration to increase the fish purchase rate from MVR 17 to MVR 25 in September 2023, which he said resulted in major financial losses to MIFCO. He called the move “unresearched” and a “political trick” to win votes in the presidential elections.

The new administration reduced the rate to MVR 20 on February 11.

Shiyam said that even with the new rate, MIFCO is purchasing fish at a loss of MVR 6 per kilo.

He has stated that the administration is working on establishing mechanism to disburse payments to fishermen within 48 hours, as pledged by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu during his presidential campaign.