KARACHI, Aug 4: Experts at a workshop identified factors contributing to the country's failure in achieving the required growth of fisheries. They discussed various aspects of the issue at the consultative workshop on five-year pan for fisheries sector here on Tuesday.

The event was hosted jointly by the World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan, (WWF-P) and Marine Fisheries Department at the Wetland Centre of the WWF-P, Hawkesbay.

Stakeholders in fisheries sector, experts from the federal and provincial departments of Marine Fisheries, National Institute of Oceanography, Balochistan Coastal Development Authority, as well as academicians and representatives from various NGOs, community-based organisations and academicians.

The objective of organizing the event was to get input from stakeholders for the preparation of the five-year plan. The Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) wants to finalize and execute the five-year plan in consultation with stakeholders, NGOs and CBOs, especially the WWF-P which has contributed a lot to the conservation and growth of marine resources.

Commodore S. Q. Raza, Director General of the MFD, Dr Aijaz Ahmed, Deputy Director General of the WWF-P, Dr Moazzam of the MFD, Dr Makhdoom from Karachi University and Ahmed Nadeem, Assistant Director of the Balochistan Coastal Development Authority were the main speakers at the workshop.

The experts pointed out that scarcity of scientific studies and the non-availability of data about marine fisheries, lack of human resource development, illegal and harmful practices in fishing, and absence of micro-finance facility were major obstacles in the required growth of fisheries.

Commodore Raza said that marine fisheries policy should be based on research, and communities should be involved in the planning process. Dr Aijaz Ahmed highlighted various WWF projects launched in different parts of the country.

The projects are based on community participation and aimed at preserving and upgrading of nature, especially coastal life and marine resources. The Fund has also joined hands with various other institutions/organizations in socio-economic uplift of people in Pakistan.

He also deliberated upon the modalities for the preparation and execution of the five-year plan in an effective manner. The experts at the workshop were divided into three working groups.

Two of the groups focused on "Marine fisheries resources - threats, targets and strategies" with one of them discussing the issue in the perspective of Sindh and the other of Balochistan.

The third group deliberated upon the subject of research required for developing strategies and action plans, and determining the role and responsibilities of the respective departments.

Federal Planning Commission has been working out the five-year plan 2005-2010 and has formed working groups covering important sectors of economy to prepare a draft plan in the respective sectors for consideration and approval by the federal government. One such group has been formed to cover livestock, dairy, poultry and fisheries sectors. -APP