President Dr Mohamed Muizzu met today with representatives of the fishing community at the President’s Office.

At the heart of the dialogue was a renewed call to revise the fish purchase price to MVR 20 per kilogram, in line with a prior Government pledge.

Responding to this request, President Dr Muizzu reaffirmed his Administration’s commitment to raising the fish purchase price to MVR 20 per kilogram. He informed attendees that measures are already underway to introduce a daily payment mechanism and to accelerate the full digitisation of the fisheries sector. Additionally, he underscored the introduction of tailored bank loan facilities to support fishermen, reinforcing the Government’s resolve to expand access to financial services within the industry.

In addition to the pricing concerns, the union also submitted a series of additional proposals designed to enhance working conditions and operational efficiency. These included facilitating access to fuel at State Trading Organisation (STO) rates, the installation of digital weighing scales, the expansion of fish weighing stations, and the increased deployment of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs).

The delegation also advocated for the formal implementation of a daily payment system for weighed fish and proposed the introduction of Ramadan bonuses for fishermen.

Addressing the matter of Ramadan bonuses, President Dr Muizzu expressed his intention to extend such benefits to all eligible workers, including those within the fisheries sector. He emphasised the need to administer these allowances through a structured framework, based on the official fishermen’s registry, and encouraged the union to actively engage in the formulation of this policy.

The President also reiterated his earlier pledge to upgrade ice plant facilities across the Maldives, as outlined in his Presidential Address. He confirmed that ongoing projects aimed at increasing operational capacity remain on schedule and are expected to be completed as planned.

Union representatives, for their part, expressed their sincere appreciation to the President, particularly commending the successful implementation of the 48-hour payment system. They noted that this initiative, along with recent policy measures, has led to concrete progress within the sector,  including a notable increase in youth participation. They also conveyed their appreciation for the Government’s continued commitment to implementing previously submitted sectoral proposals

Concluding the meeting President Dr Muizzu reaffirmed his Administration’s commitment to forging a strong and collaborative partnership with key stakeholders in the fisheries sector. The Government, he affirmed, remains steadfast in its efforts to address the sector’s challenges and to support its long-term development, resilience, and prosperity.