QUETTA, Nov 1: The Balochistan government has warned the fisheries department officials and others over continued illegal fishing and trawling on the coastline of the province.

The warning came in the backdrop of complaints that the functionaries of the department and other public servants were patronizing illegal fishing and trawling and playing havoc with the fish stock reserved for poor fishermen of Balochistan.

The government pointed out that the Fisheries Act passed by the provincial assembly had banned fishing and shrimp catching in the prohibited coastal waters of Balochistan by trawlers and gill-netters.

Such illegal activities and fishing were undermining the rights of the fishermen operating with small and unmechanized fishing boats, it said.

The official announcement recalled the incidents of gunboats involved in illegal fishing and inflicting injuries to the public servants on duty while defending the fish stocks.

Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf is supervising the development of the coastal regions.

The fisheries department has directed its regional offices to strictly check illegal fishing in the coastal areas and warned the officials of legal action if they were found assisting such activities.

An order issued by the provincial government on Friday said the department had come to know that some trawlers and wire-netting launches were involved in illegal fishing in the coastal areas, affecting the rights of local fishermen.

The department was taking measures to resolve the problems of fishermen besides protecting their rights, it said and added that parties were patrolling the coastal areas to check illegal fishing.