Karachi:
The Sindh government has prematurely raised its annual prohibition of fishing in coastal and fresh water bodies, which originally ended on August 1. The prohibition has risen since July 1 without any official explanation of the livestock and fishing department, which issued the notification.
According to the Sindh 1980 fishing ordinance, a two -month prohibition is imposed every year during June and July to allow the natural reproduction cycle of shrimp and fish. The prohibition plays a vital role in the protection of marine life and future fishing stocks. Wild and Navy experts have expressed serious concerns about the environmental and economic consequences of ending the prohibition prematurely.
According to WWF-Pakistan technical advisor, Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Pakistan shrimp production has already seen a strong decrease of 27,000 tons in 2020 to only 17,400 tons in 2024. He pointed out that, according to international standards, a minimum prohibition of three months (from May to July) is recommended to guarantee complete breeding. “Unfortunately, in Sindh, even the two -month prohibition was not allowed to mature,” he said.
Khan warned that while the decision can be justified in the name of the support of support fishermen, the long -term result will be the exhaustion of marine resources, damaging the same communities.
The representative of Fisherfolk, Abdul Majeed Motani, also opposed the early uprising of the prohibition, stating that he was influenced by a powerful political figure in the government of Sindh, not for a genuine concern for the fishing community. He added that fishing in this season is dangerous due to the conditions of the rough sea, and claimed to have formally raised the problem with the Joint Maritime Information and Coordination Center, warning them about risks for both marine life and fishermen.
Meanwhile, the Federal Department of Marine Fishing has also expressed alarm by the decision to end the prohibition prematurely. The general director of the department, Dr. Mansoor Wassan, declared that raising the early prohibition will accelerate the decline of fish and shrimp stocks, negatively affecting Pakistan seafood exports.
The Express PAkGazette efforts to contact the Secretary of Livestock and Fishing of Sindh, Kazim Jatoi, so that an explanation was unanswered. WhatsApp calls and messages sent to their official number did not receive an answer.
