Parliament on Monday rejected the emergency motion submitted against the recent plans to re-open setline fishing.

Submitting the emergency motion, Opposition MP from Kendhoo constituency, Mauroof Zakir, said the cabinet's decision to go ahead with setline fishing would impact more than just the fisheries industry.

He further said that the opportunity to obtain the quota and permission will be mostly available to big businesses in the country and abroad, and therefore, the failure of the local fishermen to get this quota will result in their income and business being affected.

Mauroof said that setting rules for lane fishing on the basis of quota is an indirect way to open up the black market of the quota and there is a fear of monopolising the fishing market, adding that the common fishermen and their families will have to bear the financial loss of this in the end and not get the same price of work.

He further said that the permission for setline fishing will cause long-term damage to the country's marine environment, environment and tourism policy.

Mauroof said that the reduction in the population of such species will have a direct and indirect impact on the Maldives in various sectors, which will lead to the extinction of the underwater eco-system in the long run.

In addition, there is a fear that the label given to the fish products exported by the Maldives will be lost and there is a fear of an increase in illegal activities in the Maldives' territorial waters.

Of the 61 members present at the meeting, only 11 voted to debate the issue. The issue was dismissed by 47 members.