It has been about two months since fishing and bait fishing slowly started improving after the southwest monsoon rains. Due to the poor fishing and bait fishing earlier, vessels that had stayed back have now gone out to sea, catching a good amount of fish over the past four weeks or so. Searching for good fishing grounds and having to travel to areas outside their usual zones is a costly endeavor for these vessels. However, with renewed hope dispelling their despair, they have gone out to sea and are weighing their catch at MIFCO facilities. Looking at MIFCO's fish purchasing reports for the past four weeks, this positive change is evident.
However, the tragedy is that after spending a lot of money on the vessel and various crew needs, and going out to sea on credit for fuel and ice, MIFCO is not paying for the weighed fish within a reasonable period. Unable to cover expenses due to this, vessels are now grounded once again. Because MIFCO is not paying, many vessels that weigh fish to MIFCO are currently unable to go out to sea as they cannot arrange rations for the crew.
"Fishing is still poor in Huvadhoo Atoll and Addu Atoll. The number of vessels going out to sea from the south is actually low because they cannot make ends meet with what MIFCO is doing. In the past, if the vessel's earnings were not enough, the owner would somehow make arrangements. Now there is nothing else to do. With the way things are going, vessel owners have also been ruined over the past 3 months or so. Since there is no way to provide rations for the crew, we are waiting until we get some money from MIFCO," a captain said.
Captains said that after MIFCO lowered the fish purchasing price during the period when fishing was at its lowest, the delay in paying for the weighed fish means they absolutely cannot make ends meet now. They said that if there is no MIFCO bill in the current "backlog," fuel is not even issued. Therefore, when money is released to the vessels after many days, deducting the money for the ice and fuel taken on credit leaves them with nothing.
"On average, a trip starts by loading 15 barrels of fuel. And what about the ice for every trip? Crew rations? Vessel maintenance. Overall, a fishing trip costs more than 10,000 Rufiyaa a day. So, because we are not getting paid for the little fish we catch now, we are stuck in a trap. Even if we get fuel and ice on credit, we can only travel if the crew's basic needs are met, right?" a captain said.
Captains said that if MIFCO cannot pay within the stated period, things have reached a point where MIFCO facilities must also arrange a system to issue rations to vessels on credit.
"They last said they would pay every two weeks. That didn't happen either. So if they can't pay regularly, arrange it so that fuel, ice, and rations are also deducted from the 'backlog'. If they can't pay regularly, they should also arrange for STO shops to issue rations to us on credit. It seems nothing happens unless we protest every time," a captain said.
MIFCO has not paid for the fish weighed by vessels since August 24. The bill from August 24 to September 6 (two weeks) is pending. MIFCO could not even say when the money would be paid. This is the two weeks when many dhonis weighed fish after fishing improved following a long period. It has now been 10 days from August 7 to yesterday. Another two weeks are almost up.
Captains say they are weighing fish agreeing to the price stated by MIFCO. While MIFCO is currently buying fish at 16 Rufiyaa per kilo, captains said they are receiving news that MIFCO is about to lower the fish purchasing price again. Captains say that no matter what price the fish is bought at, it is "okay" if MIFCO pays for the fish brought in.
"When they lowered the price to 16 Rufiyaa, they said it would be easier to pay if we sold at that price. If MIFCO cannot make ends meet, why not stop buying fish? We are begging them to give us the money for the little fish they bought from us. With what MIFCO is doing, fishermen are in a state of hardship they haven't seen in ages. To put it simply, they can't make ends meet. Surely they are doing business with the fish they buy from us. If they are not paying us, we need to know what they are doing with that fish. Whether they process it or export it," a captain said.
Because MIFCO is not paying, and because fishing is good in the central Maldives these days, some vessels from the south are burning a lot of fuel and going to Horizon in Laamu Atoll. That is because Horizon buys fish at a good price. Horizon buys at 18 Rufiyaa.
"Horizon buys at 18. But the bill is made at the rate of 16 Rufiyaa. The remaining 2 Rufiyaa is given in cash. So with that little bit, we can arrange the crew's rations. Gasim and the others brought this change in price in collusion with the government from behind the scenes. This is also a game they are playing," a captain said.
In any case, captains want the wages for their hard work to be paid quickly. Captains want to arrange crew rations and go out to sea. Because MIFCO hasn't paid, crews are also leaving, making it very difficult for both captains and vessel owners now. The concern of all captains is the delay in MIFCO's payments.
