Ensis Fisheries has stated that they are not receiving sufficient quantities of skipjack and yellowfin tuna during this period.
Ensis reported that their daily capacity is 50 tonnes of skipjack tuna and 30 tonnes of yellowfin tuna, but they are not receiving the required amounts of either type of fish.
The company is currently purchasing skipjack tuna weighing more than 1 kilogram at a rate of MVR 16 per kilogram. Looking at yellowfin tuna prices, fish weighing less than 30 kilograms are bought at an average rate of MVR 40 per kilogram. Yellowfin tuna weighing more than 30 kilograms are bought at an average rate of MVR 70 per kilogram.
Ensis Commercial Director Hussain Afeef stated that although yellowfin tuna is currently being bought at an average of MVR 40 per kilogram, it is not a profitable price.
"Some companies are even buying at MVR 45 for their daily requirements. Most companies buy at an average of 40. That is a high price to buy for freezing. However, we are buying at that price to encourage fishermen," Hussain said.
Hussain noted that yellowfin tuna fishing is very poor during this period. Although there are many vessels engaged in yellowfin tuna fishing, fishermen are not going out to sea due to the lack of catch, and instead are catching very small-sized fish near the FADs, Hussain said.
"Yellowfin tuna fishing has dropped significantly. It is almost at a standstill. Fishermen say that the yellowfin tuna usually found in dolphin schools are not seen at all now. Because they are not available, fishermen are not burning fuel to go out to sea. They are catching small yellowfin tuna near the FADs to survive. The quality of yellowfin tuna caught near the FADs is also very low. The sizes are also very small. They are between 18-20 kilograms," Hussain said.
Hussain stated that regarding exports, most foreign factories buying fish want large yellowfin tuna. Therefore, a large portion of the small yellowfin tuna currently bought is exported frozen as chunks.
"Foreign fish buyers want large yellowfin tuna. The biggest challenge is that yellowfin tuna of that size is not available now. The size of all the yellowfin tuna currently brought in by fishing vessels is not suitable for fresh or chilled export, so a large portion has to be exported frozen. This means they become frozen products," Hussain said.
To ensure that the fish weighed by fishermen is of good quality and stored at the right temperature until it reaches the factory, Ensis is providing free ice to fishermen. Accordingly, for every 1 tonne of fish weighed per vessel, an average of three tonnes of ice is being issued.
