KARACHI, March 19: Lack of coordination among the key stakeholders in Karachi Fish Harbour has been described as one of the main reasons behind the current crisis in fisheries sector, which ultimately led to the European Union’s decision to impose a ban on its imports of seafood from Pakistan, harbour sources said.

According to sources, the tussle between Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) and Marine Fisheries Department has intensified after the withdrawal of navy personnel from the harbour when FCS elected directors directly blamed the MFD for ‘directly interfering’ in the affairs of the society and creating problems for it in a bid to impose its own policies.

The FCS directors also blamed the government for imposing its policies without taking them into confidence, saying induction of political figures in the FCS’s setup had always created problems.

They also regretted that the FCS was only the NGO in the country which was governed administratively by the provincial government through its nominated and elected directors who represented fishermen communities.

These elected directors always claimed that the FCS had been crippled financially whenever a political figure was made its chairman and expressed the view that the ‘persisting leadership’ crisis in the FCS could only be solved if elected directors were allowed to play their due role in the decision-making process.

They also maintained what they termed self-imposed and politically nominated leadership of the society was responsible for the deterioration of the fish industry.

Sources said that the FCS affairs had not been running for the past few years due to a perpetual tussle between the high-ups of the society and the elected directors.

Moreover, a complete lack of understanding between the FCS and two other key stakeholders: the marine fisheries department (MFD) and the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KFHA) -- have further created a mess. Instead of working on a joint strategy to improve the existing condition of the harbour, they accused each other of meddling in each other’s jurisdiction. The FCS officials have always complained about the MFD’s attitude which according to them is against the interests of all the stakeholders.

In his first official statement in response to the EU’s decision, Mr Zamir Ahmed Advocate, in-charge FCS vigilance committee charged that the MFD had tried to tarnish the image of the FCS. He said the processing units which were de-listed by the EU had been issued NOCs by the MFD, alleging it had always tried to make the FCS its escape goat.

According to sources, among the pressing problems included the dispute between the KFHA and the FCS over property issue in Karachi Fish Harbour, lack of common strategy among the key stakeholders to improve hygienic condition in the harbour as required by the EU countries as most of processing units issued NOCs by the MFD were not up to the EU’s standards.

The administrative crisis that had hit the KFH in 2004 ran to the following years after the departure of naval personnel persisted in 2005-06. When the Navy took over the harbour, a significant change had been witnessed. Not only the working condition of the harbour had been improved, the income of the FCS also raised. During this period, there was a close understanding between the KFHA, the FCS and the MFD.

The sources further said after the departure of the Navy, the FCS and the MFD had been in loggerheads on many issues including the responsibility of maintenance of harbour and processing units. Expressing concern over the prevailing conditions in Karachi Fish Harbour, the sources said the situation was grim. They argued by keeping elected directors away in the management of harbour, the government would face a formidable task in the future because without their cooperation the affairs of the FCS could not run smoothly.

They urged all the stakeholders to prepare a joint strategy to combat the situation arisen out of the EU ban to save the fish industry and protect the livelihood of the fishermen.