ISLAMABAD, July 7: The government is formulating a new policy to improve the performance of fisheries sector by enhancing production to earn foreign exchange through its export.

A number of initiatives are being taken by the federal and provincial fisheries departments to achieve the task, official sources said on Friday. The measures include upgrading of infrastructure facilities, improvement of extension services, introduction of aquaculture techniques, improvement in post-harvest techniques, and development of the value added products. The enhancement of per capita consumption and up-gradation of socio-economic conditions of the fishermen community is also part of the new strategy, officials added.

They said that though the share of income from fisheries in GDP was very little but it contributed substantially to the national income through exports.

Pakistan exports a reasonable quantity of shrimp and fish and earns a substantial amount of foreign exchange.

Marine Fisheries department is executing a project for the establishment of a hatchery complex for production of fish/ shrimp seeds, which will play a vital role in the development of fish and shrimp farming, the sources said.

Fishery has an important role not only in the country's economy but is also a source of livelihood, particularly for inhabitants of the coastal areas.

Apart from marine fisheries, inland fisheries (comprising of rivers, lakes, ponds, dams) is also very important source of animal protein, the sources said. Due to substantial increase in the fish catch, the fisheries sector posted a growth of 8.5 per cent during recent years. —APP