KARACHI, July 11: Export of fish and fish preparations increased by seven per cent in value and 9.6 per cent in quantity terms during the financial year 2002-03 as compared to the previous fiscal.

The country exported 92,564 tons of fish and fish preparations earning $135 million in July-June 2002-03 as compared to 84,452 tons during the same period of 2001-02.

Pakistan Seafood Industries Association (PSIA) chairman Sardar Mohammad Hanif Khan attributed the increase in exports to the switching over of European buyers to Pakistan from their traditional suppliers in Far Eastern countries in view of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) epidemic.

As a result of Sars in China, Hong Kong and some other Far Eastern countries many foreign buyers diverted towards Pakistani exporters to meet their requirements, besides offering good prices, he said.

Mohammad Hanif said the country’s seafood export had been facing negative trends ahead of Sars fear but it started improving after May due to additional orders from some European countries.

According to him, the share of European Union markets was over 50 per cent out of total Pakistan’s exports of fish and fish preparations, while the rest of the foreign exchange earnings was fetched from Far Eastern markets, the Middle East and the US. The share of shrimp in overall exports is over 54 per cent.

On the negative side of Sars, he said, exports to Far Eastern countries had plunged slightly owing to drop in consumption of fish and shrimp in the Far Eastern region. However, the shift of European buyers to Pakistan from the Far East had offset the downward trend in export orders from Far Eastern countries.

Mohammad Hanif was of the view that exports could be doubled if Sindh government takes stern action against the fishermen involved in netting fish and shrimps in the breeding season at the creeks through bhola, gujja and katra nets. Creeks are considered as natural nursery for baby shrimps and fish, but fishermen every year sweep a sizable stocks of baby fish and shrimps at the creeks.

The Sindh government had been observing total ban on catching fish in breeding season during June and July, but this year, the ban was only observed in June on political pressure, which is a clear violation, he said. He had urged the Sindh governor to take notice of the situation as stocks would deplete resulting in shortage of fish for exports.