Police board protesting fishing vessels
Maldivian fishermen are protesting to demand the government fulfill campaign promises
Police board protesting fishing boats
The Maldives Police Service (MPS) have boarded fishing vessels engaged in an ongoing protest after the Bodu Kanneli Masveringe Union (BKMU) or the skipjack tuna fishermen's union launched a demonstration on Wednesday at 9:30am at the Hulhumalé Kanneli Jetty, involving 49 boats.
The protest, held in conjunction with this year's Fishermen's Day, was organized to highlight what the fishermen describe as the government's continued failure to provide adequate solutions to long-standing concerns over skipjack tuna fishing.
The protesters attempted to steer their vessels into Jetty Number One, but police and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coastguard blocked the channel leading into Malé’s lagoon, barring entry.
As a result, the boats remained outside the lagoon while fishermen held peaceful demonstrations and continued to voice their demands.
On Thursday, the situation escalated when police boarded the fishing vessels and detained several individuals.
Reports from the scene indicate that officers boarded the boats under the pretext of arresting foreign workers employed on them.
Police later stated that foreign nationals had been observed participating in the protest and claimed they had previously advised them against involvement.
According to police, they are working with Immigration to gather information on foreign workers aboard the vessels and boarded boats on Thursday where foreign nationals were seen taking part in the protest.
The fishermen are demanding that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam meet with them directly to address their concerns.
The union had set a deadline of 12pm on Thursday, warning that if the government failed to respond, fishermen would move forward with their plan to enter Jetty Number One.
The protesters have presented three key demands: for MIFCO to begin purchasing skipjack tuna, for prices to be maintained between MVR 80 and MVR 100 per kilogram, and for fuel and ice to be made available at base rates.
These demands reflect commitments made by President Muizzu during his presidential campaign. The fishermen argue that none of these promises have been fulfilled to date.
