KARACHI, Nov 21: Fishing business was stopped on Wednesday morning in the coastal areas of Sindh as a symbolic mark of solidarity with global fisheries’ strike being observed by the world fishermen community.

According to a press release of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, the call was given by the World Forum of Fisher People to draw the attention of the world for the preservation of seafood stock, which are being dwindled because of a massive harvesting of deep-sea trawlers.

The PFF press release issued here claimed that the fishermen community in the coastal areas of Sindh shut their business and hoisted black flags on their boats.

These areas included Ibrahim Haideri, Rehri Goth, Baba Bhit, Khadda Lyari, Hawkesbay, Keti Bandar, Kharo Chan and Dam in Balochistan.

The fishermen also held protest meetings in these localities and urged the government not to issue deep-sea fishing licences to foreign trawlers.

However, an official of the Fishermen’s Cooperative Society said there was business as usual in the Karachi Fish Harbour.

But a representative of the PFF claimed only 15 boats were issued port clearance on Wednesday till 12.30pm as compared to 40 to 50 boats which are normally issued the clearance.

He claimed that it also affected marketing, saying that the protest was peaceful everywhere.

Speaking at a rally, PFF chairman Mohammad Ali Shah called upon the government to put a complete ban on deep-sea fishing in the country.

He urged the government to take effective measures for the preservation of sea resources which are declining fast due to industrial fishing.

He said the fisherfolk were very adversely affected by the industrial fishing even when such vessels remained beyond the restricted zone, industrial vessels harvest enormous levels of fish, depriving the local fishermen of fish of value in subsistence consumption and local markets.

The PFF representative also called for banning all kinds of fine nets in the Arabian Sea shore.