Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan has expressed hope that the United Kingdom will positively reconsider the request for tariff cuts on Maldives tuna exports, now that it is not a part of the European Union (EU).

A 24 percent duty fee is imposed on the fish exported to the EU from the Maldives.

Noting that this proves to be a disadvantage to local fishermen as the money is deducted from their income, the fisheries minister said that he intends to bring the issue to the forefront.

Further highlighting that the UK has indicated different a perspective to the EU on the matter, Dr. Hussain said that Britain could extend duty-free status of Maldivian fish imports soon adding that it could be before the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) scheduled for November this year.

Maldives became a member of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission in the year 2011 and continues to export tuna in accordance with standards set by the EU. The minister concluded by highlighting that Maldives has been doing exemplary work, especially in relation to exporting tuna.

Highlighting this, the country has made multiple requests to the EU to consider granting duty free access to the European Union for its fisheries products, which is yet to be granted.

While Maldives’ tuna has been described as the most sustainable, caught one-by-one with pole-and-line fishing, it is the only country to not have a preferential arrangement for export from EU in the South Asian region.

Fishing is the second largest industry in the Maldives, and a majority of Maldives’ export revenue is sourced from exports of fish. Sri Lanka is among the main fish export markets from Maldives, along with Thailand, Russia, Malaysia and member countries of the European Union.