KARACHI: Boost in seafood exports termed encouraging
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 29: The substantial increase in fish exports during the month of March shows that importers’ response to Pakistan’s seafood is favourable, according to a fisheries source.
He said that although there had always been a slight fluctuation and variations in landings due to seasonal and economic factors, the overall situation was encouraging.
He dispelled the claim a sharp decline in the landing or fish exports resulting from deep-sea fishing and said such an impression was being created by vested interests.
Quoting official figures, the source pointed out that 10,107 metric tons of fish, valued at US$10.336 million, had been exported during March as against 6.3444 metric tons, valued at US$7.894 million in the corresponding month last year.
The figures, he said, showed an increase of 59 per cent in quantity and 31 per cent in value. A similar trend was noted in the last three months, he added.
CONFLICT: Commenting on the present situation in fisheries sector, he said the situation was the result of wrong administrative policies adopted by the previous administration, which could be corrected through appropriate measures.
He said that the previous navy-controlled administration had been given a limited mandate to bring about improvement in the standard of living of fishermen by adopting modern
fishing methods and getting the decades-old dispute between the Fishermen Cooperative Society and the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authorities settled.
He said that the navy administration had miserably failed to achieve these objectives. He also disputed the administration’s claim that the credit of EU’s lifting of ban on Pakistan’s seafood went to it. In fact, he clarified, the ban had been lifted much earlier in response to the measures taken by a civilian administration headed by a provincial legislator.
Meanwhile, fishermen community has called for a sustainable fisheries management policy to ensure safety of seafood stock and secure the livelihood of the fishermen.
In this regard, it stressed the need for implementing the existing laws and involving the public representatives in decision-making and management initiatives.
It also suggested that the partnership between existing institutions and informed fisherfolk communities be promoted.
“Pakistan’s seafood has always been in great demand in Europe and Middle East. The situation demands greater participation of fisherfolk representatives in decision-making process and measures be taken in this direction,” leaders of several fisherfolk bodies said.
They argued that Pakistan had a long 1,050-km coastline divided into two major portions — Sindh coastline (about 350-km) from Karachi to the Indian border and Balochistan coastline from west of Karachi to the Iranian border — and possesses a much narrower continental shelf (15-50km) with a number of bays along its length.
Maintenance, development and management of the coastline as well as preservation of the sea resources requires a national fisheries policy absence of which had been causing concerns among all the stakeholders amid extinction of different fish species and menace of over-fishing.
