THOMAS PICKARD

INDUSTRY: TUNA FACTORY | MALDIVES

Images from a typical tuna processing plant in the Maldives.

Maldivian exports of tuna account for 18 percent of gross domestic product and employ 30 percent of the population. Fishing has and continues to be a vital part of the Maldivian economy.

Workers butcher Yellowfin tuna at a fish processing plant that processes Yellowfin tuna into steaks for export to the European market.
  
Left: Butcher and Yellowfin tuna.Right: A plastic box filled with freshly butchered and bagged tuna steaks.
   
Left: A pile of Yellowfin tuna waiting to be washed down before being moved into the butcher room.Right: A stack of empty styro foam boxes that will be used to transport snap frozen tuna steaks to nearby Male' International airport for export to the European market.
     
  
Left: A worker butchering Yellowfin tuna.Right: Freshly butchered tuna steaks.
   
Left: Boxes of Yellowfin tuna steaks.Right: Close up of a Yellowfin tuna.
   
Left: Worker holding freshly butchered Yellowfin tuna steaks.Right: Tools of the trade.
     
  
Left: Yellowfin tuna waiting to be butchered.Right: Workers aprons.