Minister for Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has announced that the queue system for fishing vessels at the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) will be eliminated within the next two days.

He further stated that this will be the last year fishermen will have to wait in queues to offload their catch, as the Government is implementing measures to resolve the issue permanently.

The Minister made these remarks in response to questions raised in parliament, where South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil inquired about the ongoing delays faced by fishing boats.

Minister Shiyam acknowledged that queuing has been a longstanding issue during peak fishing seasons. However, he highlighted that the country’s fisheries sector has seen notable improvements since November, with higher fish yields compared to the same period in previous years.

The increase in catch volume has contributed to the formation of queues, but the Government has taken steps to address the situation. According to the Minister, all vessels that have been assigned queue numbers will be able to offload their fish within the next two days, easing the current backlog.

He also noted that previous administrations had not taken effective measures to resolve the issue, while the current Government is working towards a long-term solution.

In addition to addressing the queue system, he raised concerns about the operational capacity of vessels purchased for MIFCO under the previous government. He explained that many of these boats are inefficient and currently out of operation, contributing to delays in fish processing and storage.

Efforts are underway to restore these vessels, with repairs already initiated on Jazeera 2 and Jazeera 3. Minister Shiyam stated that bringing these boats back into service by the end of the season would significantly improve MIFCO’s capacity and help resolve the queuing issue.

Currently, MIFCO can process up to 420 tonnes of fish per day, but the daily catch has increased to approximately 450 tonnes, placing additional strain on existing facilities.

To address these challenges, the Government has allocated funds to expand fish storage and processing capacity. The Minister noted that the current onshore storage stands at 4,200 tonnes, which is insufficient to meet industry demands.

However, planned infrastructure developments will increase total storage capacity to 25,000 tonnes by integrating both land-based and sea-based facilities.

These expansions are expected to be completed within the next 18 to 24 months, enhancing efficiency and ensuring smoother operations in the fishing industry.