KARACHI, June 1: The federal government is expected to transfer management of Korangi Fish Harbour to the Sindh government to ensure consistent operational activity at the harbour and a final decision in this respect is likely within next couple of months.

KFH, a multimillion project of the federal government, was established under an ordinance in 1982 and completed in 1996 for exploiting vast fish resources beyond territorial waters (beyond 12 nautical miles) but due to a host of reasons it remained inoperational for deep sea trawlers.

The federal government took a number of initiatives to activate the harbour, but it failed to elicit any result. In a similar move, the Sindh government was asked by federal government to shift around 500 fishing boats from Karachi Fish Harbour to Korangi Fish Harbour but the suggestion remained unimplemented.

However, the federal government through some concrete steps, allowed 30 medium-sized trawlers to ply beyond 12 nautical miles, zone exclusively marked for the purpose. Following the move, the Sindh government showed keen interest to run most lucrative project.

Khair Muhammad Junejo, Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock during his visit of the KFH, had also signalled that the Sindh government was seriously contemplating to take over the harbour.

However, the issue of shifting fishermen from Karachi Fish Harbour is still lying in cold storage which needs to be addressed. Fishermen have demanded relevant facilities at Korangi harbour, including storage, auction hall, processing factories and ice factories.—PPI