The head of the Kuwaiti Federation of Fishermen, Daher Al-Suwayan, asked the Minister of Finance to approve the fishermen’s union’s request to meet with him as soon as possible, in order to explain to him the sufferings of the fishermen, noting that they has requested the meeting before the adoption of the budget for 2022/2023, but so far the date has not been set.
In a statement to a local Arabic daily, Al-Suwayan praised the efforts of the Minister of Finance, who agreed to increase feed subsidies, but at the same time did not agree to increase fish subsidies, even though fish subsidies have remained stagnant for more than 30 years.
Al-Suwayan said the fishermen hope that the Minister of Finance will agree to strengthen the 2022-2023 budget and increase fish subsidies, or transfer some subsidies between the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fisheries Resources sectors, especially since subsidies have increased and doubled in all sectors except for fish subsidies, which have not increased since 1992 despite the approval of the PAAAFR Board of Directors and the recommendation of the fisheries sector that it should be increased.