Shahbaz Ahmed

Breif Overview of Fishing Sector in Pakistan

Overall Imports and Exports•On an international level, Pakistan has a good market for fish and fish products. About 30% to 40% of the total fish catch is exported to 30 countries of the world.•About 80% of the total fish catch of Mekran Coast is dried for export to the Middle East region.•Ribbon fish, croakers, sole and some other species are exported to Korea and China.•Export of fish and fish preparations increased from US$ 194.16 million in 2005-06 to US$ 296.8 million in 2010- 11, thus showing an average increase of 9% per annum.

Export of fish and fish preparation

Export of fish and fish preparation

Seasons

• Pakistan has two fishing seasons. The August to November season is for shrimp, which are mainly caught for exports.

• Fish are caught from October to June, the peak being March to May.

Share of Different countries in the Aquaculture

Problems

• Water Pollution: Pollution on the coast of Pakistan is mostly limited to the Karachi area..

Spillage of the oils from ships, domestic and industrial waste is causing great harm to our fishing industry.

• Some of these chemicals have carcinogenic qualities - toxic materials and heavy metals have been found in the marine life.

• These dangerous substances are also entering the food chain of the people whose diet comprises seafood.

Problems

• Over-fishing: Another problem associated with the fishing industry is the over-fishing of shrimps throughout the year, even in the breeding season

• Threat to Mangroves: Mangroves act as a barrier and protect the coastlines from high and low tides. The mangroves, which are a breeding ground for fish and shrimps, cannot thrive well in polluted sea water..

Previous Steps in the R and D• At the time of Partition, the fishing fleet was 100% sail driven, with non-existent

processing plants.• The total revenue amounted to Rs.2.9 million and average earning of fishermen

was about Rs.60 per month. That was the situation of fisheries in 1947. The poor availability of fish seed in the past had badly affected stocking programs and as a result fish culture could not be developed on a large scale. With the implementation of various development projects and research schemes, the sail fishing boats were mechanized, trawlers were introduced, a fish harbor was established and a cold storage was added to the existing facilities. Since then the trawlers continued to increase year by year.

What Pakistan lags behind in the fishing industry?

• Pakistan being blessed with a wealth of fishery resources, fails to utilize these resources to their full potential, The result being under developed fishery industry.

• This is what Porter speaks of in, factor disadvantage, in which lack of resources leads to better utilization .

What is causing this lag?

The main causes are• lack of institutional facilities( advanced)• shortage of fish seed (advanced)• Cultural species (natural)• lack of basic knowledge of fish farm and

capital to run new ventures (advanced)

Entrepreneurship opportunities

• Inland fisheries are gaining much popularity• inland resources include small rivers, dams

(Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma), lakes (Haleji, Keenjhar and Manchhar), barrages, reservoirs, ponds and canals.

Why are fisherman in Sind thrice that of Baluchistan?

• The effect of the Indus River Delta on the marine resources of the coastline of Sind is substantial, as this river system has been transporting enormous quantities of nutrients and sediment to the continental shelf for centuries.

• Pakistan has an extensive inland water areas system, which is mainly dominated by the Indus River. These water bodies, depending on their type, possess varying potential for development of the inland and aquaculture subsectors

Why should we invest in the fishery sector?

• Fish is one of the best aquatic animals that can help in supplementing the protein.

• During the past two decades, most countries (both developed and developing) have made steady progress towards increasing protein production from aquatic resources. This is resulting in an overall increase of harvest from water resources

How to attract private investment?

• For the mobilization of private sector important concessions, such as canal water supplies at reduced rates

• seed supplies at nominal rates,• tax holiday, and lease of government land for

fish farming [ Have been granted by the government]

Thus, theses measures would ensure fish culture in private sector to a large extent.