KARACHI, Oct 7: Karachi-based trawlers will have to pay a fee for fishing in the sea waters of Balochistan coast, it is learnt here.
According to an order issued by the Balochistan Coastal Development Authority (BCDA), all out-station vessels, boats and launches shall be charged a “call fee” per trip to ports, beaches, harbours and anchorage along the Balochistan coast.
The order which came into force has been issued by Director- General of the authority to all the officials connected with the affairs of the Balochistan coast.
As per the order, big and small gill netters will be charged Rs50,000 and Rs25,000 respectively and cargo launches will be charged Rs15,000.
The order further says that a fee of Rs30,000 per trawler and Rs50,000 for wire-netter shall be charged on a month-to-month basis from those who are desirous of fishing in the specified areas of Balochistan coast so as not to cause disruption in fishing as laid in provision 3/9 of Balochistan Sea Fisheries Act 1986 rules.
Amendments have also been framed in the provision as under:
That the amounts so collected shall be deposited through challan in the NBP branches in Gwadur and Karachi in the name of Director-General of Balochistan Coastal Development Authority everyday except holidays.
The BCDA has recently launched an operation against Karachi-based fishing vessels in Balochistan coast and seized over 80 trawlers for fishing in the coast.
The action has caused a resentment among the fishermen who have threatened to stop the auction of fish-catch to Karachi fishermen community.
They said the action was not in the interest of fishermen community of both the provinces and called for an amicable settlement of the issue.
Commenting on the order of Balochistan Coastal Development Authority, a fisheries official said it was yet to be seen whether the order had any legal validity as it had not been issued by a competent authority.
Moreover, he said the order had many inherent flaws as the mechanism of a monitoring system was not clear.
According to him, there are many black sheep in the fisheries department of Balochistan who have been extracting money for fishing in Balochistan coast who will take undue advantages of the situation in the absence of an effective monitoring system.
The fishermen of Karachi have been accusing the Balochistan officials of extorting money for fishing in the coast of the province. They argued that the decision would provide them a legal cover for their illegal activities.
Under an ordinance issued in 1972, trawling was banned in the limit of three nautical miles along the Balochistan coast but later the limit was increased to 12 nautical miles by the fisheries department.
However, Karachi-based fishermen had always opposed the ban, saying that there should be no restriction on fishing in seas of the country.
More than 500 Karachi-based fishing vessels operate illegally in the sea waters of Balochistan by greasing the palms of fisheries officials of the province.
Small fishermen of Balochistan have always opposed the of operation of Sindh-based trawlers who have been accused of using wire-netters and other fine nets, causing destruction of fish species of the province.
Meanwhile, a large fleet of fishing vessels of Balochistan also avails the facilities for selling their catch at Karachi fisheries harbour.
Meanwhile, owing to lack of interest by the concerned departments of Sindh and Balochistan, the issue of sea limits has intensified and may lead to a direct clash among fishermen of both the provinces, causing a colossal loss to the fishing sector of the country, adds PPI.
Following the capture of their 60 boats along with more than 1,000 fishermen, the Sindh fishermen have sounded a strong warning that they will halt all business activities at Karachi Fisheries Harbour and will take retaliatory measures against the Balochistan fishermen including banning their entry into Sindh and transaction of their catch at the Karachi Fisheries Harbour.
In this connection, a meeting of Trawlers Association, Directors Fishermen Cooperative Society, Mole-Holders and dealers has been convened on Oct 9 to discuss future line of action , said Haji Younus, Director Fishermen Cooperative Society here on on Saturday.
He urged the Sindh government to intervene and help resolve the issue of sea-limits with Balochistan and getting released their 60 fishing trawlers along with fishermen and catch worth millions of rupees detained by Balochistan’s fisheries department.
He said the ban on Sindh fishermen in Balochistan was a unilateral decision and urged the Sindh government to evolve a similar strategy for the Balochistan’s fishermen. Balochistan Fisheries Department is demanding Rs0.1 million fine for the release of each boat besides charging Rs 30,000 as entry fee from our boats for each trip, he noted.
“If we will pay such a huge amount, how can we will run our businesses”, he questioned and termed it “extortion”.
