RECORDER REPORT
KARACHI: Sindh government has again requested Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to carry out dredging of the country’s largest fish harbour’s navigational channel.
Talking to Business Recorder on Saturday, Managing Director, Karachi Fish Harbour, Dr Kazim Hussain Jatoi said that Sindh Fisheries Minister, Jam Khan Shoro has sent a formal request to the KPT chairman to undertake dredging of the harbour.
Karachi fish harbour serving as the country’s largest fisheries sector, earning over $300 million revenues to the national exchequer, besides contributing millions of rupees to the export development of fund of the federal commerce ministry, had been ignored regarding development work, he said.
He said the fisheries sector could grow its annual collection to the tune of Rs1 billion through seafood export if the federal government supported in its development.
A letter of the fisheries minister made available to Business Recorder says “I am thankful to the higher authorities of KPT for acceding to the KFHA’s request for dredging of fish harbour in the larger national interest”.
It says the channel draft which was dredged last in 1990 has heavily silted which is causing serious inconvenience to the fishing vessels.
The fishing vessels had been facing serious problems for the last several years to navigate through fish harbour navigational channel for its draft reduced to a lowest level, MD KFHA said.
The KFHA was seeking the KPT support to dredge the 100,000 million square meters of channel by four meters in line with the global port dictum to provide a smooth passage for incoming and outgoing boats, the officials said.
Jatoi said, “The total anchoring strength of the fish harbour is about 400 boats whereas there are over 1500 fishing vessels moored.”
Last dredging of the fish harbour was done through EU grant by an Italian firm M/s “Lodigiani SPA” in 1990, costing the then currency unit of “ECU” 12 million, according to the officials.
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