The president of the Bahrain Professional Fishermen Society Waheed Al Dossary told Khaleej Times on Tuesday that the strike was the last resort for the fishermen because talks with officials have failed.
The government through the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) imposed in June, 2008 a monthly levy of BD10 on each expatriate worker. Fishermen who employ at least four workers were included in the decision despite their complaints of low profits.
“We don’t have enough fishing grounds and no other source of income so how can we give away our little money we are making,” he asked while demanding of the authorities to find out a solution before the strike is launched.
“Reclamation covered most of the regional waters and investment projects replaced our fishing grounds and instead of being compensated, we have been asked to pay taxes and that couldn’t be accepted,” Al Dossary said.
“Some fishermen used to go fishing in other countries’ territorial waters, but after those countries imposed tough punishments such as seizing of boats, they were forced to stick to the limited fishing grounds of Bahrain,” he said.
