Fishermen required to register on Fahi Hakatha to receive oil subsidy

The Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources has decided to further strengthen the system of issuing oil subsidies through the Fahi Hakatha portal.

The ministry said the only way for fishermen to receive the oil subsidy is by registering on the portal.

The ministry noted that this comes at a time when global oil prices are rising due to the ongoing unrest and war in the Middle East. Under the guidance of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, the Ministry said it aims to continue providing fuel at affordable prices to the fishing industry.

With this change, the subsidy application and issuance processes will be conducted through a single platform, further strengthening the entire system, the ministry said.

Therefore, vessels engaged in sea fishing that are not yet registered are urged to complete registration on the portal by September 15.

Under this arrangement, the government will provide subsidised fuel as follows:

• 5,000 litres for vessels over 85 feet  

• 3,000 litres for vessels between 50 and 85 feet  

• 1,500 litres for vessels under 50 feet  

Meanwhile, MIFCO will provide diesel for fishing vessels at MVR 17.54 per litre, which was previously available in four areas and has now been expanded to 11 additional locations.

In addition, MIFCO and FSM have jointly arranged for fuel on credit at the request of fishermen. Under this system, the fuel bill for vessels will be deducted from the payment made to MIFCO within 48 hours.

The ministry also noted that amendments to the Fisheries Act have brought changes to the development of fishing ports and penalties aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the sector.