THE fast-moving of floodwaters into the Arabian Sea in the coastal district of Thatta this month is seen as a healthy sign for the production of fish, particularly palla.

Palla production has declined over the last few decades owing to inadequate flows of water in the downstream Kotri Barrage. The absence of sustainable water flows and the use of prohibited nets by fishermen are adversely affecting the fish’s production.

Whenever the flow of water in downstream Kotri is not enough to reach the sea in sufficient quantity, palla production is hit.

The palla specie is known for moving up the Indus from the sea for breeding. Fishermen fear that if the problem of inadequate water flows, usage of banned nets and pollution in the river and the sea are not tackled effectively, the specie would face extinction. The female palla empties its ovaries of the eggs for breeding in the river water. The seed goes to the sea for growth before a matured palla heads for the river if the water flows are adequate.

A 2010 study by the WWF attributed the fall in the specie’s production to the fishing of undersized palla, use of prohibited nets, pollution and water shortage

Interestingly, palla reaches Sindh’s markets from Iran on a regular basis as well. It is available in restaurants when the local variety is not.

From a commercial point of view, palla is a source of good earnings for fishermen as well as restaurant owners. Its seasonal availability increases during floods. Its price is always higher than those of other fish species chiefly due to its taste, and multiple recipes are used in its cooking. A restaurant sells around 1kg of fried palla for Rs2,500, on average. But a fisherman sells palla of the same weight for Rs800-1,000.

The fishermen — who are fishing in the downstream Kotri Barrage during the flood season — point out that the current floodwaters are not suitable for catching palla, adding that the water is quite heavy. “If the water flows at a moderate speed, it will help improve the production of the fish,” says one of them.

Before the barrages were built on the Indus, palla used to reach up to Multan in the upstream river. When barrages like Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri, along with the related canals were built, palla was mainly confined to the downstream Kotri Barrage.

Fish ladders, which are specifically designed at Kotri Barrage to facilitate palla to go upstream, do not serve their purpose. The fish does not cross them as it travels in a straight direction and does zig zag like other species.

When there are no releases from the downstream Kotri, the fishermen do other jobs to eke out a living for their families.

Arab Mallah, a leader of the Sindh Tarraqi Pasand Mallah Tanzeem, believes that inadequate flows of water and the Sindh fisheries department are both equally responsible for decline in palla production. “The fisheries department has only made half-hearted attempts to do away with the prohibited nets called bullo and gujjo that are being used in Thatta.”

While many species of fish are produced in thousands of fish farms, it is perhaps palla whose farming has not become possible owing to its peculiar nature of breeding, which takes place partly in the sea and partly in the river.

According to Sindh Fisheries Director Khawar Pervez Awan, an experiment was done in 2010 to breed palla, but it was unsuccessful. Palla cannot survive anywhere other than in the sea, and its production declined 80pc from 1999 to 2009, he says.

According to Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum’s Majeed Thaheem, a 2010 study by the WWF attributed the fall in the specie’s production to the fishing of undersized palla, use of prohibited nets, pollution and water shortage. It called for the enforcement of the ban on palla fishing during its spawning/breeding season (August-September), and suggested that the fisheries department help the fishermen get an alternate source of livelihood during the period.

Until August 17, over 0.6m cusecs of water were released in downstream Kotri. The floodwaters start reaching the sea in July.

Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, August 24th, 2015

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