Fisheries: Destructive nets pose threat to export sector

ANWAR KHAN

KARACHI: Over 2,000 boats continue trawling with destructive nets raising alarms for the country’s 300-million dollars fisheries exporting sector, experts said on Saturday.

Pakistan exported 124,489 tons of seafood amounting 315.525 million dollars in the last fiscal year 2012, but exporters expect further increase of fisheries product to the global markets.

However, groups of fishermen continue to voice for the strict implementation of rules to protect the declining fisheries stocks. The destructive nets are largely held responsible for rising landing of undersized fish and shrimp species. Hundreds of big and small boats have begun their fishing assignments with the existing nets. These boats will mainly hunt shrimp during August and September. 

The government’s plan to enforce new nets sizing 55-millimetre for fish and 45-millimetre for shrimp during the new fishing season largely failed because of the mesh unavailability. “The nets are still not available on the market despite huge demand,” fisheries sources said.

However, Patron-in-Chief, Sindh Trawlers Owners and Fishermen Association (Stofa), Sarwar Siddiqui believes the increased net-size will make no big difference to cut the volume of catch of trash fish and shrimp.

He said there were no new nets available for fishermen or owners to harness their boats with. He said “when these nets will become available then fishermen will buy them”.

Chairman Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association (Pakfea), Faisal Iftikhar showed optimism about the new nets and hoped at least 40 percent catch of fish and shrimp trash was expected to decline, initially.

He said the manufacturers were ready to produce nets on demand but there were no buyers at the moment. “There are manufacturers who will weave these nets in a large number if buyers place orders with them,” he said.

Talking to Business Recorder, officials of Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) said the authority had extended the period till September to facilitate the fishermen to acquire new nets.

“The unavailability of nets still continues on the local market therefore the authority increased the acquisition span for fishermen,” they said, adding that after September the authority will begin its clampdown operation against destructive nets.

They said the owners and fishermen would have to purchase nets and equip their boats with for the sake of marine protection. “Now there should not be any objection to replacement of the new nets with destructive ones,” officials said.

Experts reckon fishing practices in the country’s coastal areas and at deep sea are destructive and fatal to the fast diminishing marine species. They urged the government to take brisk action to protect the country’s relatively smaller fishing exporting sector form decline.