KARACHI, June 8: Participants of a panel discussion on coastal resource management underlined the need to evolve a development plan by involving the community representatives from coastal areas.

The panel discussion on "Challenges and opportunities for sustainable management of coastal resources" was organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan at Sandspit Wetland Centre on Tuesday to mark the World Ocean Day.

The director-general of provincial fisheries department, Baz Mohammed Junejo, who chaired the session, called for formation of a coastal development committee comprising government departments concerned, non-governmental organizations and community representatives from coastal areas.

He said that deep sea fishing and use of illegal nets were damaging communities' livelihood, which needed to be checked immediately. WWF-Pakistan Conservation Manager (Sindh chapter) Naseer Memon informed the participants about findings of a recently conducted study on environmental issues in the areas of Keti Bunder, Rehri, Sandspit in Sindh and Somiani and Kalmat Khor in Balochistan.

Referring to the available knowledge within the communities and their attitude and practices towards social and environmental issues of coastal areas, Mr Memon said that coastal resource management was a challenging task and needed strategic partnership for implementation.

Among others, Sindh Wildlife Department Cheif Conservator Ghulam Rasool Channa, Ahsan Leghari, city government officials, representatives from Karachi University, Sindh Environmental Protection Agency and the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum also spoke on the occasion.

The panelists expressed dissatisfaction that the government and NGOs had failed to deliver what was expected from them on conservation and improvement of environment especially marine and coastal resources, add agencies.

They noted that proper study was needed about the availability of fishes in various sea zones and the impact of deep-sea fishing trawlers viz earning of foreign exchange through increased fish exports.

The speakers were unanimous that the rules about the fishing including restriction on the use of harmful nets like Bullo, Gujo and Katro and the deep sea fishing were not being fully implemented due to limited capacity of Sindh Fisheries and Livestock Department.

WWF-Pakistan Deputy Director General, Dr Ajaz Ahmad, said that his organization had launched many programmes during the last 25 years to create awareness about environmental degradation and for community building with the participation of local people and other organizations working for the same cause.

He emphasised that conservation of environment should be linked with development. He said that provision of basic facilities to the coastal communities was essential before launching of any scheme for conservation and improvement of marine resources.

"Uplift of socio-economic conditions of locals was must if we want their contribution in conservation of sea resources," Dr Ajaz remarked. He said that the WWF-Pakistan was also working on the development vision, categorized as five, 15 and 50 year plans.

In this regard, he said that the organization would soon publish its literature in Urdu, Sindhi and other local languages. The literature would help them understand environment threats, its conservation and the improvement besides other socio-economic issues.

Ahsan Leghari, a representative of the Oxfam Sindh, pointed out that lack of political representation of coastal area people was the main factor behind backwardness of these areas.