KARACHI, Aug 9: Speakers at a conference held here on Wednesday stressed the need of framing a sustainable national policy ensuring socio-economic needs of the fishermen communities by taking all stake-holders into confidence.

Expressing concern over plight of fishermen, they said the community had been neglected in the past and were living in abject poverty despite the fact they had been contributing to national exchequer.

Pointing out various factors that affected the livelihood of the community, they urged the government to take all those factors into consideration while framing a new national fisheries policy.

The factors they identified are over-fishing (both by foreign and local trawlers), use of illegal nets, destruction of mangroves and pollution caused by industrial, as well as domestic waste resulting in the extinction of fish species.

The national roundtable meeting on fisheries convened by Pakistan National Committee of the IUCN Pakistan. It was presided over by Mr Javed Jabbar, a former federal information minister. The meeting was addressed by fisheries officials from Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and Punjab and representatives of NGOs, including Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and Pakistan Mahigir Tehrik.

In their presentations, the representatives of fishermen said there were hundred of villages of the fishermen being settled along the coastline of Sindh and Balochistan and whose survival depends on the fishing sector which is currently under tremendous pressure.

They said over-fishing by foreign and local trawlers had ruined coastal economy, bringing untold sufferings particularly to small fishermen.

They also criticized the federal government for allowing operation of deep-sea trawlers in the water zone of the country which they argued is one of the key factors in the depletion of fish species.

At the same time, they also slammed the Sindh Government for its failure to implement the laws banning use of destructive nets, saying unregulated fishing in the coast of Sindh has not only wiped out fish species but has also deprived the small fishermen of their livelihood.

They regretted that despite repeated protests by the fishermen community, the government has done nothing to stop the devastating practice.

They emphasized that time had come that the government act promptly in the interest of the fishermen communities and to save them from further ruination and at the same time they also urged the local fishermen to desist from using harmful nets for fishing.

The key speakers who represented the fishermen communities were Haji Shafi Mohammad Jamote, a director of Fishermen Cooperative Society, Mohammad Ali Shah, chairman of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and Ms Zubaida Birwani, chairperson of the Pakistan Mahigir Tehrik.

Mr Jamote lamented that no government had taken any serious note of the plight of fishermen community who were living in miserable conditions and there was no any tangible impact on the government so far.

Mr Mohammad Ali Shah criticized the federal government for not taking into confidence the fishermen community while framing the new national policy on fisheries.

Zubaida Brewani regretted that while majority of fishermen lived along the coast of Sindh and Balochistan, the fisheries policy was being framed in Islamabad without their consent.

Fisheries officials, representing Sindh and Balochistan governments, defended the policies of their respective governments, saying a number of schemes had been launched for promoting inland fisheries and the welfare of fishing communities.

They argued that one of the key factors in the depletion of fish species was over-exploitation of coastal sources by the local fishermen by using soft nets indiscriminately. They also pointed out that tremendous damage was also caused to fish species as a result of destruction of mangroves. They also emphasized the need for promoting aquaculture and hatcheries.

Mohammad Zeeshan-ul-Haq and Zafar Iqbal Baloch from Balochistan stressed the need for construction of more jetties and transportation and proceeding facilities to direct export the sea products to Karachi. They also suggested that a ferry service between Karachi and Gwadar be also started.

Mr Zafar told the meeting that the Balochistan had prepared its shrimp policy which had been sent to the federal governnment for approval.

Earlier, Mr Shams Memon of the Coastal Development Authority briefed the meeting about the coastal community development plan which had been prepared by the authority in collaboration with Asian Development Bank.

He assured the audience that all stake-holders would be taken into confidence while implementing the project.

Mr Hashim Leghari also emphasized that entry of people from other professions on commercial basis into fisheries be discouraged and incentives be given to indigenous fishermen for developing the fish industry.

In his concluding remarks, the federal commissioner of fisheries, Mohammad Hayat, said the new national fisheries policy was being framed up keeping in view all aspects of fisheries sector.

He went on to say that the federal government had consulted the provincial governments through chief secretaries level.

Under the new policy, the commissioner said steps would be taken to protect the interests of small fishermen, besides stake-holders connected with fisheries sector and added that model fishing farms and hatcheries would also be built.

On this occasion, Mr Javed Jabbar said the conference had made valuable suggestions which would be submitted to the government.

Stressing the need of interaction among various stake-holders by holding dialogue, Mr Jabbar said such forums would help understanding the problems of fishermen community and it would also give proper messages to the authorities.