The government has decided to slash the price of oil sold to fishermen from sheds in Hulhumalé.

This was announced by the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources in the late hours of Wednesday, via a post on social media platform ‘X’ after coming under fire over the delay in fulfilling promises made to the yellowfin tuna fishers’ community.

The fisheries ministry revealed that the decision to reduce prices of oil sold to fishermen from Hulhumalé sheds, came in a bid to fulfil the pledge made under President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s manifesto.

The post reads that the decision was made by the president, to fulfil his manifesto pledge.

Further details of the price change have not been revealed by the ministry yet.

At a time the announcement has been made to show that the government has revised the price of oil sold to fishermen, the incumbent administration came under fire after fishermen from several regions nationwide began protesting against the government’s failure to deliver on its promises made to the fishers’ community of Maldives, on Wednesday afternoon.

Fishermen from Bodu Kanneli Masveringe Union (BKMU) declared that they would continue protesting at Jetty Number 1 until their demands were green lighted by the government.

The protests were held in the Kanneli Jetty Area of capital Malé City’s suburban extension Hulhumalé as well as Huvadhu Atoll, one of the largest fishing atolls in the island nation.

BKMU, a trade union of yellowfin tuna fishermen, had voiced concerns regarding the prices of fishermen’s catch, as well as the government’s failure to deliver on the pledges made to them before coming into power.

Fishermen protested to ensure a fair price tag for their catch, as well as to immediately halt the licensing of longline fishing.

Several fishing boats that catch yellowfin tuna, joined the protest at sea in the Greater Malé Region.

The fishermen set off from the Hulhumalé Kanneli Jetty Area to capital Malé City’s Nasandhura region to demand for the government to not proceed with plans to allow commercial longline fishing.

The Minister of Fisheries met the protestors on Wednesday and stressed that the government’s pledges made to them would only be fulfilled once they generate adequate revenue.