Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture has reduced the fees for fishing licenses. The fees were reduced in the recently published regulations on fishing and sustaining skipjack tuna stock.
The regulations state that fishing licenses will be provided to vessels based on the type of fish caught and the size of the vessel, while those processing skipjack tuna will receive a license that limits the daily amount of fish being processed. Additionally, the regulations state that the fee taken for licenses will also be based on the size of the vessel, and the amount taken in fees has been reduced. As such, fishing vessels measuring less than 49ft will have to pay a fee of USD33, and vessels measuring over 49ft will have to pay a fee of USD97 for a one-year fishing license. In addition, vessels measuring less than 49ft that sell merlin to exporters will have to pay a fee of USD16 and vessels that measure more than 49ft will have to pay a fee of USD33.
The previous regulations impose a fee of USD39 for fishing vessels measuring 45ft while vessels measuring 45-65ft receive USD78, vessels measuring 65-85ft have to pay USD117, and vessels measuring over 85ft have to pay USD234.
Other changes implemented in the new regulations include reducing the fee payments by 58% for some sectors. They include reducing the fee for fishing licenses given to pole and line fishing vessels measuring 85ft from USD234 to USD97.
The new regulations aim to maintain a sustainable stock of skipjack tuna in order for the Maldives to continue benefiting from fishing in the long term. The regulations contain policies on how to conduct activities related to skipjack tuna fishing, implement the Fishery Management Plan, provide fishing licenses, and monitor and control fishing-related activities.