KARACHI, July 28: The ministry of food and agriculture has set up a committee of fisheries experts to decide about the fishing ban period on the basis of information about changing breeding season of fish in coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

Presently, the government imposes ban on fishing in the months of June, and July. However, in a recent meeting at Minfal fishermen revealed that fish breeding season has changed with the passage of time.

The committee will undertake studies to make a correct assessment of the fish breeding season.

Meanwhile, fisheries experts at the livestock and fisheries department in Sindh have suggested to reserve permanent breeding zones for fish in coastal areas where fishing should be restricted through the year. They said that in two countries such breeding zones have been created where fishing is prohibited in any part of the year.

They said that banning fishing for only two months is not effective in conservation of fish wealth of the country and unless permanent breeding zones are located, fish stocks would continue to deplete.

Director General of fisheries told Dawn on Monday that fishing in sweet waters in the province has been deregulated and the new government has abandoned licensing for fishing from the new budget.

Earlier, those fishing by boats were charged Rs1,000 and those without boats were charged Rs100.

He said there were about 1,000 fishing points in the province which includes the River Indus, canals, lakes and ponds.

A survey would be launched soon to assess fish stocks in these points and measures would be suggested to conserve traditional varieties of sweet water fish.

The prominent fish varieties found in the province include palla, raho, morakha and thela.

The conservation exerts are concerned about the depletion in palla stocks over the years, which migrates from the sea to the Indus River for breeding.

As a result of fast depleting fish stocks, prices of palla in the local market have jumped manifold.