Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam held a lengthy meeting today to hear the concerns of big game fishing operators, where hopeful responses to demands were received, the Big Game Fishermen’s Union (BKFMU) said today.

Since this year’s Fishermen’s Day, BKFMU has been protesting, saying the government has not fulfilled its promises to fishermen. Today, Shiyam met with 20 big game fishermen at Velaanage. The meeting started at 11:00 AM, was paused, then resumed and concluded around 4:00 PM.

After the meeting, BKFMU Deputy President Imran Mohamed told journalists that the Minister convened an urgent meeting to quickly address the fishermen’s concerns and concluded the meeting. He said the meeting was very successful and that there were various matters that could be resolved immediately and others to be resolved in the future.

A fisherman who participated in the meeting said they received a very positive response regarding selling fish to MIFCO. The union said the fishermen’s protest will continue until the two individuals arrested during the fishermen’s protest and still in custody are released.

Among the fishermen arrested during the protest near Malé’s eastern harbor was the union’s Secretary General Mauroof Zakir, but he was later released.