KARACHI, May 20: Small fishermen have urged the government to seek experts’ opinion on the seasonal ban imposed every year in the June-July period to facilitate fish breeding.
The ban has triggered a controversy following evidences a few years back suggesting that the June-July period may not necessarily be the breading season.
Small fishermen are pointed out that more evidences collected recently suggested that it could not be determined yet that the June-July period was specifically the breading season of shrimps.
In this regard, they referred to a communiqué sent by the Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, Karachi University, to the Fishermen Cooperative Society in response to a query.
On the basis of the available research work and case studies, it was held and conveyed to the FCS that there was no evidence on record to establish that June and July were the breeding period of shrimps.
The communiqué says that in fact, breeding is a continuous process in some cases and it continues throughout the year, with the months of June, November and December being the peak seasons. In some areas, the breeding process extends from October to March, or April.
The short seasonal closures cannot provide any guarantee against over-fishing which may take place in other areas at other times. In our case, since no comprehensive data is available, it is difficult to make any sensible statement except of a generalised nature as to the effect of real and seasonal closures.
It further states that these types of closure and in the usual absence of certain unscientific migration rates, it is not possible to provide an advice on the effects of those closures.
According to the Centre, that breeding cycles of various species of fish and shrimps which have been under constant study show that the breeding of the shrimps continues almost throughout the year with peak breeding season being different months for different species.
It points out that there are 12 species of shrimps which are commercially exploited, and obviously all of them do not breed only in June and July. Thus, it is not correct to assume that June-July is the specific breeding period of shrimps in Sindh.
However, Chairman of the Pakistan Fishermen Folk Mr Mohammad Ali Shah favours the customary ban, saying that the issue is very sensitive and needs a consensus of experts on it. He says that at present, the opinion is divided. The basic issue is over-fishing resorted to in our waters by deep-sea trawler operators and the local mechanised boats using destructive nets.
The PFF wants full protection to be provided to the seafood resources being exploited by the trawlers
mechanised fishing vessels. At the same, he suggests that steps be taken to stop the use of over-capacity boats and nets which are also responsible for depletion of sea sources.
The regular two-month ban on has been a bone of contention between the provincial authorities and the small fishermen for a few years. Under the pressure exerted by the fishermen, the ban is often relaxed.
In the June-July period, sea also becomes rough and dangerous for fishermen.
The ordinance, under which the ban is imposed, had been made applicable to the entire Sindh coast of the sea, as well as rivers, prohibiting catching of certain fish species. In 1982, the ordinance was amended to include some more shrimp species.
However, the ordinance could never be implemented effectively.
The small fishermen and boat-owners have always been expressing their reservations over the ban, terming it discriminatory against them. They argue that the ban serves no purpose but causing an unbearable loss to the fishermen community.
When contacted, Pakistan Mahigir Tehrik’s Zubaida Birwani said it was correct that the June-July period was not breeding season of all fish species, but there was a possibility that the concept could true in the case of certain fish species.
She said that the issue was debateable and should be discussed and researched by experts and stakeholders of the fishing sector. According to Ms Birwani, the Karachi University’s Marine Biology Centre has produced new evidences that ought to be debated comprehensively. She said that her organisation had also planned to hold a dialogue on the issue in July.
