KARACHI, Aug 31: Prohibited nets have been allegedly installed in the creeks along Sindh coast by influential people in violation of a government ban and of a law passed by the Sindh assembly against the use of such nets.

The Pakistan Fisheroflk Forum, in a statement on Tuesday said the government had failed to pay attention to the demand of the fishing communities over the sensitive issue, resulting in reinstallation of harmful nets by the influential persons in the creeks.

The PFF chairperson, Mohammed Ali Shah, said the fishermen had felt relief by the government decision to ban the harmful nets, Buloo and Gujoo, but unfortunately, owing to a lack of proper enforcement of the law, the influential people had started violating the ban.

Besides Karachi, the ban violations were exceptionally high in the two talukas of Thatta district, he said, adding that the Buloo and Gujoo nets were being indiscriminately used in the mangrove areas and creeks along Sindh coast.

Mr Shah deplored that owing to the use of banned nets, the fish catch had decreased by 70 to 80 per cent at the creeks. These nets were causing depletion of fish due to the minute size of their holes, which trapped sub-adult and juvenile fish, thus disturbing the life-cycle of various fish species.

According to local fishermen, about 235 fish species, including shrimps, mainly the young ones, frequently found in the mangrove areas of Sindh coast, have either been destroyed or facing threats due to an extensive use of harmful nets. He claimed about 5,000 Buloo nets were being used indiscriminately along Sindh coast. - PPI