Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam on Saturday stated that the government is closely monitoring the protest by fishermen at MIFCO's Addu Harbor over unpaid dues.

In a post on X, the Minister stated that the government is closely monitoring the protest in Addu City. He noted that the government is listening to the voices of the fishermen involved in the protest and, adding that details of the work being done by MIFCO and the government is being shared with them periodically.

Addu City fishermen started the protest on Friday evening, with about 80 fishermen taking part in the protest according to Maldives Police Service.

The protesters are calling for immediate payment of their dues by MIFCO. They are also demanding that the government agree to pay them every 15 days for their catch in the future.

The protesters also called on a senior official to come to them to talk to them about it.

If their calls were not adequately responded to, some of them threatened to throw all the staff out of the factory and prevent them from operating the kitchen.

Others said their protest was for their rights. They said it was not to confront the government or the police.

They said they have not received money for their catch for three months and this has left their families in debt without paying their bills.