Parliament moves ahead with new fisheries law
Ruling party lawmakers called for significant changes at the committee stage.
21 Aug 2019, 9:00 AM
After two days of vigorous debate, parliament on Tuesday voted to accept legislation proposed by the government for a new fisheries law.
Speaker Mohamed Nasheed scheduled an extra sitting on Monday night to expedite the debate and send the bill to the economic affairs committee for review. Judging by critical views expressed by ruling party lawmakers, the bill is expected to undergo significant changes at the committee stage.
Divided into 12 chapters and 80 sections to replace the Fisheries Act of 1987, the bill proposes measures to control illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing practices. It would ban purse seine, gill net, troll net, spear fishing and the use of explosives and toxic chemicals.
The new law would introduce fines of up to MVR2 million (US$129,700) for engaging in illegal fishing. The penalty would be twenty times higher for a crew member of a foreign vessel.
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