Fishers will have more time to do their business now that their licence will be valid for three years instead of one. This comes after the amendment Bill No. 38 of 2022 was passed in Parliament last Friday.

Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, highlighted that the bill gets terminated every December 31. It means that despite the issuance date, the permit will still expire at the end of the year.

“The process of applying for a licence or permit every year and of the renewal of the registration of the fishing vessel annually can be time-consuming and creates administrative and logistical difficulties,” he said.

“A licence issued to take fish in a registered customary fishing ground is subject to the terms and conditions of the permit issued by the commissioner and of course, the commissioner does that in consultation with the customary fishing owner rights.”

The permit will be issued by the commissioner of a division following consultations with the customary fishing owners.

“As a result, a fisher (man or woman) may not have a lot of opportunities to secure bank loans and to invest in the fishing business due to the short period of licence or permit granted,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

“Sometimes they apply in January. By the time they get a licence, it may be April and they have only then a few months to fish. Sometimes they may get it in May, they only have four or five months to fish.”

“Therefore, the amendment Bill seeks to amend the Act to give certainty and allow for more investment, particularly in terms of securing bank loans and indeed we have had interest from many customary fishing owner rights people themselves who want to get a licence because they want to get into fishing themselves.”

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said it would make it easier for them to take out loans to help develop their business.

“So, with a licence of three years, they can secure that loan and be able to get into the business themselves as opposed to simply giving it out to other people who will come and fish in that area,’’ he said.

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