Checking of fishing nets: Stofa resents detaining of boats

The Sindh Trawlers Owners and Fishermen Association (STOFA) on Friday showed resentment over detaining of boats for checking of fishing nets by the Maritime Security Agency (MSA) at Keamari navigational channel. STOFA president, Habibullah Khan Niazi told Business Recorder that the Sindh government has handed over powers to the MSA to carry out an indiscriminate checking of mesh-size in boats voyaging to the deep-sea that led to a detention of over 60 vessels at the navigational channel.
However, the provincial fisheries official told Business Recorder that the Sindh government's move was legal to give the MSA a charge to check the mesh-size of fishing boats. "This power to the MSA was given some three years ago as a fisheries officer to check whether the outgoing boats carry an illegal size of nets with cod-end mesh," he said.
To a question, he said the owners of fishing boats and fishermen have already been notified with the rule suggesting the exact-legal size of mesh for hunting of marine species. He said "the boats should not have carried the illegal or banned nets for hunting at first place, as the MSA has the legal right to take an action anytime".
Habibullah Khan said the fishermen and boat owners will face millions of rupees loss if the MSA continue its operation against the illegal-nets fixed on vessels. "This action could be taken at the start of new fishing season from August 1, instead of at the end of continuing season," he said, adding that the MSA action is too sudden for fishermen to change the nets overnight.
"We are ready to comply with the rules and cooperate with the enforcing agencies and government but we should have be given a stipulated period to remove the existing nets from our boats," the STOFA president said, adding that the fishermen and boats owners cannot afford such a huge loss at the end of fishing season, as it is their last trip to the deep-sea.
"The fishermen have pinned huge hopes for a better financial gain ahead of Ramadan and ban fishing season starting from June 1. This is really a peak fishing season with a rising global appeal," he said, adding that the fishermen and boat owners are holding a demonstration to protest against the Sindh government's move that deprives them of a bigger financial return.