KARACHI, Dec 28: Fish catch in Pakistan sea waters is on fast decline creating shortages and pushing up prices to new levels this winter, a market survey revealed.

Three main reasons are being mentioned for low fish catch this season. Commencement of deep sea fishing by foreign trawlers, heavy penalties and fees imposed by the Balochistan government on local fishermen to operate in their waters and invasion of jelly fish.

A random market including at Empress Market survey showed White Pomfret is priced at Rs350 per kg, while Surmai is being sold at Rs320 per kg. Lodnagri can be purchased at Rs220 per kg while Dothar is being retailed at Rs120 per kg. Black Pomfret is selling at Rs160 per kg while Heera is priced at Rs140 per kg. Rahu is available at Rs180 per kg.

“The price is currently 10-30 per cent higher in the current season depending on the variety due to continuous decline in landing of fish besides some demand factor,” the dealer said. As soon as landing improves — prices will automatically fall.

Chairman Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS), Commodore Tayeb Naqvi told Dawn that the overall landing of fish at the harbour has declined by 21.45 per cent to 58,777.9 tons in July-November this year as compared to 74,829 tons in the same period of last year.

The landing of shrimp has also seen a fall of 26.72 per cent in July-November period to 2,301.9 tons, from 3,141.4 tons the same period last year.

“We have urged the Sindh government to take up the matter of deep sea fishing by foreign trawlers and Balochistan issue, but nothing has been done so far,” FCS chief said.

He said that the federal government will again review the deep sea fishing policy in June 2002-2003.

Meanwhile, small fishermen are not happy over the government’s decision of allowing deep sea fishing by foreign trawlers in 12- 35 nautical miles as they say that these trawlers have virtually swept the fish stocks in the sea.

“The market is really short of supplies these days as deep sea foreign trawlers are taking away all the stocks,” senior vice president, Sea and Fish Plants Moleholders Group, Haji Ibrahim told Dawn.

At a time when local fishing trawlers are getting low catch, many of them feel reluctant to go to the sea since the rising cost of diesel has enhanced their operational cost. They can manage the higher expenses of diesel and other expenses if they get huge catch from the sea but presently the low catch does not allow them to take the risk.

He said that the Balochistan government has fixed Rs30,000 as monthly fee per launch for operating in their territorial waters and in case of violations local trawler owners have to pay heavy penalties.

A fisherman said that deep sea trawlers are sweeping away the entire sea resources as one can see the decline in landing at the harbour. The livelihood of fishermen is now at stake in case the federal government does not take cognizance of the declining fish stocks in the sea. He said that these big trawler operators are also throwing away tons of fish of various species into the sea as wastage.

Chairman Deep Sea Fishing Trawlers Owners Association Kamran Hameed totally rejected the blame of small fishermen of sweeping away the fish and shrimps stocks from the sea.

Out of total 13 foreign trawlers — only two are in operations. The government has given licence to 20 foreign trawlers. In total 13 trawlers — five are Chinese and eight belong to Korea.

“We have only caught 1,100 tons in the last six months,” he said adding that the reasons of lower stocks of fish in sea are others. He said local fishermen are using forbidden nets namely Bulo, Katra and Gujjo which are extremely hazardous for the growth of shrimp and fish.

He was of the view that the decline in fish catch was a natural cycle which arrived after three to four years. He said industrial and sewage waste are damaging our sea coasts and an estimated 300,000 tons of raw sewage has been dumped into the sea every year, thus polluting our waters.

A spokesman of Maritime Security Agency (MSA) told Dawn that not a single case of violation has been reported since the foreign deep sea fishing trawlers had been allowed to operate in Pakistani sea waters.

“We are continuously monitoring the activities of deep sea trawlers,” the spokesman said adding that our boats with latest vessel monitoring system are very much active in the sea to check any illegal activities.

“The reason of decline in fish stocks in the sea and thin arrival at the harbour is something else and not the deep sea fishing trawlers,” the MSA spokesman said.