Keyolhunge Lobby has decided to hold a fishing race open to vessels actively engaged in pole-and-line fishing in the Maldives.
According to the NGO, the "Maldives Tuna Race 2025" will be held on December 5 to mark the organization's anniversary and Fishermen's Day. The 24-hour race aims to foster friendship and unity among pole-and-line fishing families, attract youth to the profession, promote the industry, and increase public appreciation for the sector.
"With the multi-party system, political rivalry has emerged among fishermen, leading to a loss of unity. Furthermore, as successive governments have provided land-based jobs to many youths who were previously engaged in fishing, they have moved away from the profession. It has reached a point where vessels are grounded in harbors due to a lack of crew. Therefore, one of the main objectives of this race is to spark youth interest in pole-and-line fishing, bring back those who left, and revive the spirit of unity and friendship among fishermen," said Shafga Shafeeg, President of Keyolhunge Lobby.
Shafga stated that any vessel holding a valid fishing license issued by the Fisheries Ministry and registered in the national fishermen's registry is eligible to participate. The tournament is planned to be held at the MIFCO Kooddoo Fisheries Complex (KFC), the central hub for pole-and-line fishermen in the Maldives and the facility with the highest fish landings. Consequently, winners will be determined based on the total weight of fish landed, in accordance with the standard commercial weighing procedures currently used by fishermen.
Large cash prizes have been allocated for the winning vessels. The lobby noted that this is intended to incentivize people to join the pole-and-line fishing industry.
Categories and Prizes for the Fishing Tournament:
- 1st Place (highest kilos landed): 100,000 MVR
- 2nd Place (highest kilos landed): 50,000 MVR
- 3rd Place (highest kilos landed): 25,000 MVR
- First vessel to complete the race: 5,000 MVR
Keyolhunge Lobby announced that the opportunity for interested vessels to register for the "Maldives Tuna Race 2025" will be opened to the public tomorrow.
