Covid-19: fishing vessels allowed to go fishing despite travel ban

The Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources & Agriculture has revealed that fishing vessels will be permitted to go for fishing despite the travel restrictions placed on all inhabited islands.

The ministry made the reveal via Twitter on Friday, adding that the decision was reached despite the government’s ban on travels between inhabited islands, unless essential.

However, fishermen will not be allowed entry into other islands even to weigh their catch. They are required to return back to their islands afterwards.

The ministry has urged all individuals in the fisheries industry to carefully follow the regulations and instructions set by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in connection to the decision.

The authority had ordered for the measures against the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) to be strengthened in all inhabited islands across Maldives after a cluster case was discovered in the country’s capital on Wednesday.

Under the order, travel between all inhabited islands has been prohibited unless essential and the respective councils are to work with relevant stakeholders to make sure resident have access to basic necessities.

As of now, movement in islands has not been banned despite the travel ban, however, island residents have been urged to practice social and physical distancing.

Gatherings have been banned including parties, events, picnics as well as sports.

The government has placed the Greater Malé Region under lockdown for a fortnight as a measure against the spread of the disease in the region, after a local woman with no travel history, tested positive on Wednesday.

The total number of confirmed cases in the country has risen to 27 with seven of them emerging from the Maldives capital.