New regulations organizing auctions in the fish market has led to a standoff between fishermen and stall owners on one side, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry along with consumers on the other side.
More than a 100 fishermen and stall owners boycotted the auctions on Tuesday against the ministry’s decision to apportion 30 percent of the daily catch for consumers, 35 percent for restaurants and companies and 35 percent to the fish-stall owners in the market. In addition, the new regulations make it illegal to sell in the market except through a broker licensed by the ministry.
Fishermen and stall owners are protesting this new arrangement saying that it amounts to government interference in the market and is against the concept of supply and demand. However, consumers have welcomed the regulations as it has helped lower fish prices and make it affordable to ordinary people.
With fishermen refusing to participate in the auctions there has been a significant decrease in recent days of fish supplies along with the non-availability of certain types of fish in the market.
However, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has adamantly maintained that there is no rolling back of the new regulations as they are meant to protect consumer interests, while ensuring there is fair trade in the market.
Consumers have called for the appointment of a supervisor and assistants to monitor the market on a regular basis so as to prevent violation of the new rules. They noted that the distribution quota will ensure that each party gets its appropriate share, and therefore, no price increase occurs on most types of fish except for days when the fish-catch is less.
Speaking about the regulations being implemented, the Director of Commercial Control Department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Faisal Al-Ansari, asserted the validity of the fish-market regulations and added that the rules to organize the market auctions were in line with trade controls and consumer protection laws.
He added that the new regulations came within the framework of monitoring markets and activating governance of fish auctions to ensure stable prices, the regularity of bidding operations and effectiveness of monitoring their procedures. He assured it is to protect consumer interests to achieve the greatest transparency and clarity related to prices.
