Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has eased the controls placed on weighing and purchasing the catch of fish by local vessels.
MIFCO recently purchased fish in a controlled manner due to shortage in storage facilities, compared to the large number of fish brought in by vessels in the high fishing season. However, MIFCO announced on May 2 that it has removed the controls on weighing and purchasing fish from fishing vessels.
MIFCO controlled the fish purchasing April 25 and had been purchasing 4 tonnes from each vessel. MIFCO faces difficulties if the amount of fish caught by fishermen exceeds the storing capacity of the company. However, MIFCO assured fast and strategic steps have been taken to solve the difficulties.
Speaking on a programme aired on PSM News, CEO of MIFCO Ismail Fauzee said 15,000 tonnes of fish were purchased by April last year, while 22,766 tonnes were purchased in the same period of this year. He added, therefore, about USD 23 million has been paid to fishermen from the sales.