The R. Maduvvari Council has held an information session on the national fishermen's registry.
The Maduvvari Council held this information session on Friday night.
Maduvvari Council holds information session on fishermen's registry
In a message shared on social media, the council stated that information regarding the national fishermen's registry was shared with the island's vessel owners, skippers, and fishermen during the meeting.
The national fishermen's registry was launched and opened for registration on February 16 this year. Included in the government's Week-14 roadmap, the main objective of this initiative is to make fishermen recognized by the state, as they have not been officially recognized until now. Regarding the registry, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam previously stated that due to the lack of a registry, fishermen currently do not have access to facilities provided by banks and services offered by government institutions and companies. The Minister added that once the registry is completed, these issues will be resolved, and fishermen will become individuals with state-recognized employment.
The Fisheries Ministry is working on compiling a comprehensive national fishermen's registry. A special team has been formed for this purpose, and this team is working by dividing the Maldives into 6 zones. A coordinator has been appointed for each zone, and a team comprising political figures belonging to that zone has been selected and has now begun work.
The work on the fishermen's registry is proceeding under the supervision of Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam. The ministry's technical team is also participating in this work. While the zone teams are calling vessels and providing information, council focal points are also assisting by contacting and meeting vessel owners and skippers to provide information about the registry. The ministry noted that vessel owners and councils are providing immense cooperation in these efforts.
As the government's policy is to make fishermen individuals registered with a state institution, the Fisheries Ministry has stated that when the registry work is completed, official information of all fishing vessels operating in the Maldives, skippers, and crew members will be stored and maintained in the ministry's database. The ministry also stated that when compiling the fishermen's registry, it will not only include skipjack and yellowfin tuna fishermen, but also those engaged in other types of fishing within the fishing industry.
With the completion of the national fishermen's registry, fishermen will receive significant relief. In particular, it will facilitate ease in providing services that the state must provide to fishermen, paving the way for fishermen to acquire these services.
