January 4, 2006	Wednesday	Zilhaj 3, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 3: The boat-owners registered at Karachi Fish Harbour have threatened to stop fishing because they could not operate their diesel–powered vessels because of high fuel prices.

They called for supplying diesel oil at a reasonable price as special relief to fishermen in the same way as was being practised in the neighbouring countries.

A meeting of the boat-owners was held here at the harbour which discussed various problems being faced by the boat-owners, particularly diesel oil prices.

According to Mir Khan Niazi, a former president of Sindh Trawler Association, the meeting formed a 10-member committee which will hold talks with relevant authorities to resolve their grievances.

He said the committee will focus on outstanding problems of fishermen communities. These included operation of foreign deep-sea trawlers and a ban on illegal nets currently being used in the coast of Sindh including Karachi.

A suggestion was also made in the meeting that seasonal ban on fishing instead of June-July be imposed in November and December and steps be taken to improve market conditions at the harbour.

It also called upon the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority not to register new fishing vessels in view of the congestion at the harbour channels.