October 3, 2003	Friday	Sha’aban 6, 1424

KARACHI, Oct 2: Pakistan’s worst oil spill from Tasman Spirit has left the fish retail business reeling because of the looming fear among consumers that most of the fish catch comes from the surrounding area of the grounded ship.

As a result of falling consumption of fish and shrimps in the city — the prices of seafood items have plunged. Consumers’ misbelief over the quality of fish and shrimps has also been partially felt by many restaurants and hotels in the city where people are not placing orders for seafoods that frequently.

President, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), Mohammad Ali Shah told Dawn on Thursday that good quality shrimps at the harbour are now selling between Rs200-300 per kg as compared to pre-oil spill situation of Rs400-500 per kg.

Similarly, the price of dhotar (grunter) has fallen to Rs100 from Rs150 while Surmai (Mackerel) price ranges between Rs100- Rs150 as compared to Rs200-250 per kg. Good quality pampheret price dropped to Rs200-300 per kg from Rs400.

A negative propaganda about the quality of fish has hit the consumption of fish, forcing local fishermen to sell the products at reduced rates. Even the fishermen bringing fish from Balochistan and Keti Bandar had no choice but to sell the products at cheaper rates, he said.

However, the oil spill has played havoc with the livelihood of small fishermen who used to net fish in shallow waters. “They are still jobless,” the PFF president claimed.

“There are fewer fish buyers in various city outlets,” local dealers in the Kharadar and Saddar area said adding that people are not satisfied with the quality of fish and shrimps, that they feel could be unfit for human consumption because of polluted water of the sea.

They said the mood of many buyers have changed as they prefer to buy fish varieties of sweet water, being supplied from interior Sindh, instead of buying saline water species. But for Karachiites, there is no substitute for marine varieties as far as taste is concerned.

“Only 30-40 per cent people are coming to buy fish in Saddar fish market since the oil spillage had hit the coastline,” a fish seller in Empress Market said in a pensive mood. The situation is the same with other fish vendors at other parts of Karachi where sellers are convincing buyers through price cut offers.

“Take the small pampheret at Rs100-120 instead of Rs180-200, a dealer at Kharadar said adding that fish prices are quite affordable these days.

Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) has already given assurance and certificate to the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) and other agencies that the fish is safe for eating and it is usually caught in the deep sea but people still have apprehensions.

An official in MFD, on condition of anonymity, said the quality of fish can be checked from its gill and even fish at the harbour is being checked under the supervision of MFD and FCS officials by cutting it in some pieces for consumers’ satisfaction.

He blamed the adverse propaganda of the media about the quality of seafood for the sharp drop in consumption and sales.

He said that the oil spill has not caused much negative impact on fish catch as most of fishermen net fish in the deep sea. He said both exports and landing of fish and shrimps at the harbour are going swiftly. However, he agreed that the local consumption has reduced to some extent.

According to data of FCS, there is virtually no reduction in landing of seafood items at the harbour from August 12 (the day oil spill started) till September. There has been an average 600 tons daily landing of fish and shrimps recorded at the harbour.

However, landing of fish and shrimps had dropped in August 2003 by 15 per cent to 11,469,252 kgs as compared to 13,574,272 kgs in August 2002. The MFD official linked the drop in landing to low sailing of vessels to the sea instead of oil spillage.

An official in the Pearl Continental hotel said that a drop in ordering seafood items of five to 10 per cent was recorded in their restaurants. However, an executive in Sheraton Hotel said that no change was witnessed relating to falling of orders in their restaurants. “Our Seafood Night on every Tuesdays has been celebrated without any delay since the oil spill hit the coastline. Customers know that leading hotels consume fish and shrimps arriving from the deep sea,” he added. An official in Marriott Hotel had the same views.

Karachi Gymkhana has stopped serving fish for the last two months because of oil spill, an official in the catering department said adding that the Gymkhana has virtually stopped purchasing fish from the market on poor quality grounds.

Director, Lal Qila Restaurant at Shahra-e-Faisal, M. Umar Qasim said that only five per cent drop in order of fish by customers was recorded otherwise everything is normal. “We usually procure pampheret caught from the deep sea and other species from Gaddani, Thatta and Keti Bandar,” he said.

Chief Executive, La Rosh Restaurant and Catering Service, Khursheed Ahmed claimed that the fish order by the people has dropped by over 70 per cent in his restaurants and even people are still hesitant in giving orders for fish dishes in their personal receptions from our catering service.

General Manager, Usmania Restaurant Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Hanif Abbas said that people are eating seafood items as per normal routine. There was a slight drop when oil spill started but people realised soon after that the fish was netted from deep sea.