KUWAIT CITY, Aug 20: The ‘unsubsidized’ diesel has become a real problem threatening the fishing sector in the country, as it portends a significant increase in fish market prices in conjunction with the cessation of fishing trips in anticipation of the new ‘subsidized’ share at the beginning of next month.

In a press statement Tuesday, the Kuwaiti Fishermen Union warned about the consequences of continuing the implementation of the decision issued last year to reduce the diesel quota by half. It stressed that “the fishermen have become victims of the decision to reduce the diesel quota.”

It added: “The continuation of this diesel shortage causes Kuwait to lose almost half of its share of shrimp and fish supply, and results in huge losses for the fishermen. The Economic Committee in the Council of Ministers should fulfill the union’s demand to restore the previous subsidized diesel quota.” The union also pointed out the accumulation of fishing boats waiting to be filled with fuel, emphasizing that the depletion of the designated quota makes them wait until the beginning of the new month without entering the sea. It called for “reconsidering the current diesel quota, returning to the previous quota and canceling the reduction that experience has proven to be ineffective and harms the fishing sector.”

It noted that most fishing license holders are indebted to the Industrial Bank, brokerage offices, and commercial banks. The union asserted: “The challenges we face make the fishing profession repulsive, and prompted trained technical fishing workers to flee to neighboring countries because they have been unemployed for almost half the month, which affects their income, especially since their income is linked to production.” It revealed that unsubsidized diesel makes fishing trips expensive; thereby, halting fishing trips to wait for the new quota of subsidized diesel at the beginning of the month. It said: “One trip costs KD1,000 of unsubsidized diesel; while the same trip costs KD600 of subsidized diesel along with other expenses.” It then appealed to the concerned officials to put an end to the suffering of fishermen and achieve this fair demand by restoring the diesel quota as it was

By Abdul Nasser Al-Aslami
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff