KARACHI, July 20: The Sindh government has lifted ban on catch of shrimp and fresh water-fish by relaxing the remaining period of the current month.

The two-month ban beginning from June 1 and ending at July 31 being declared breeding season had been imposed in the coastline of Sindh for the preservation of juvenile species.

It is learnt that the ban has been lifted on the persistent demand of small fishermen who had been facing economic hardships due to the ban.

Under Sindh Fisheries Ordinance 1980, a ban is imposed on catch shrimp like Kalri, jaira and Kiddi and fresh water fish like Thaila, Calbasu and other species of any size from June 1 to July 31 every year to preserve the small size catch.

Recently, on the demand of the small fishermen, the chairman of the Fishermen‘s Cooperative Society and Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority had approached the provincial government along with representations of various fishermen community associations and stockholders for lifting the ban.

Consequently, the provincial fisheries department submitted a summary to the governor, suggesting lifting of the ban for rest of the days of current month.

Representatives of fishermen community and organizations had also urged the Sindh government to relax the ban on catch of shrimps.

They said the fishermen had been badly hit economically by the two-month ban which had been imposed since June 30, adding that there was no justification to continue the ban as the deep-sea fishing trawlers were already allowed to operate.

Last year, owing to the mounting pressure of small fishermen the ban was lifted much earlier and the new fishing season began on July 10.

A few days ago a delegation of fishermen from Shamspir and Baba Island including representatives of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and Nazims of Union Councils called on Chairman of Fishermen Cooperative Society Syed Tayyab and sought his assistance to relax the ban on shrimp catching.

The chairman told the delegation that the matter had already been raised with the Sindh government, keeping in view the hardships being faced by the small fishermen.

The Association of the Mole-holders at Karachi Fish Harbour also urged the provincial government to relax the customary ban on fishing to save the small fishermen from starvation.

The association said if deep-sea trawlers could operate during the breeding season, there was no justification to stop the small boats from operations.

June-July has been declared breeding season for fish and shrimps species in Sindh and it is mandatory for fishermen to stop hunting during this period.

The ban was imposed from June 1 under the section 25 of the Sindh Fisheries Ordinance, 1980, to ensure the conservation of juvenile species.

The small fishermen had always opposed the ban because they said it would hit them economically. It was for this reason that the ban had never been imposed completely.

However, the fisheries experts argued that “the ban is necessary to ensure normal growth of fish and shrimps in the creeks and safety of aqua-culture, saying that the ban is itself in the interest of fishermen community.