16 January 2005	Sunday	05 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Jan 15: The European Union (EU) Mission will visit the Fish Harbour from Jan 25 to Feb 2 to assess the quality of fish and fishery products, being exported to the EU countries.

The mission will inspect whether fish and their products meet the commodity requirement of the council directives of the EEC or not. The evaluation will cover the entire fisheries products, production chain, vessels, landing sites, auctions, establishment, potable water, ice facilities, shrimp peeling facilities, surrounding environment etc.

Meanwhile, Faqir Muhammad Jadam Mangrio, adviser to the chief minister on Fisheries, who is also chairman of the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KFHA) said all-out efforts should be made for the improvement of the Karachi Fish Harbour and to maintain hygienic conditions there.

Presiding over a meeting of the authority's officers, he said the forthcoming visit of the EU mission was very crucial, adding it would prove successful and beneficial for the fishery sector. He hoped that seafood exports to the EU countries would be further increased.

Dr Mohammed Nawaz Baloch, the managing director of the KFHA briefed Mr Mangrio about the progress of development work being executed by the authority. The adviser directed the MD to review arrangements regularly being made in the wake of the EU mission's visit.

Later, the adviser-cum-chairman visited the harbour to review ongoing works. He issued necessary on-the-spot directions to the concerned officers. Later, the MD KFHA chaired a meeting with representatives of the Seafood Exporters Association (SFEA), in which arrangements were discussed in context of EU's mission. The association representatives assured full cooperation in this regard. - PPI