Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has dismissed rumours suggesting that the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has been blacklisted by the European Union or the United Kingdom.

The claims, circulated in some media outlets, alleged that MIFCO had been barred from exporting to European markets. However, the Minister stated there was no truth to these reports and no official information had been issued to support them.

He confirmed that neither the EU nor the UK had blacklisted MIFCO or any other active Maldivian fisheries company. He also noted that a major UK-based buyer is scheduled to visit the Maldives next week for discussions with MIFCO.

Minister Shiyam stressed the central role of the fishing industry in Maldivian livelihoods and expressed concern over the potential harm caused by misinformation. He characterised such reporting as irresponsible, especially when it affects a key national industry and the families who depend on it.