KARACHI, Nov 12: The Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) is going to implement European Union’s specified standard operating procedures (SOP) for marketing of fish catch from Saturday.

It would be a soft launch of implementation of the SOP for improving marketing system of the KFHA with the objective to get early removal of the ban imposed on seafood imports from Pakistan since April 2007, official sources said.

Decision to this effect had been taken in recent meetings held between the stakeholders and all relevant official bodies. In order to improve marketing system, the KFHA will ensure that all fish catch enter the auction halls in properly iced plastic crates already provided to fishing boats.

However, entry into auction hall shall be restricted to nominated representatives of mole holders, processors and fishermen society in proper uniform and after meeting hygienic conditions.

Sources said all these steps were aimed at bringing in improvement in due course. However, the KFHA officials feel that initially there could be some resistance, but ultimately the required standard operating procedures would be fully adopted.

It was also transpired in those meetings that some boats need very little modification because they already had stainless steel lining in their fish holds. Therefore, the KFHA officials believe that in a short period around 200 boats could be modified as per the EU’s specifications.

Another major issue related to getting clearance from half a dozen agencies by fishing boats at the time of moving out of harbour was also resolved. In order to sort out the problem the all agencies concerned were asked to practically demonstrate their performance in the sea.

It was witnessed that all these agencies related to security and certifications were performing individually which was not only time consuming, but also the main factor of harassment.

It has been also decided in principle that two main bodies directly linked with seafood, Fishermen Society and Karachi Fish Harbour will improve their coordination to get better results, the sources said.