In murky waters: Zehri mounts defence of Balochistan fishermen
Centre plans resuming deep-sea fishing beyond provincial territory
The racket was so huge that a director-general of Marine Fisheries Department was jailed for taking bribes from South Korean mafia which stalks the coastlines of under developed countries with lax regulations to exploit their marine resources. PHOTO: BANARAS KHAN/EXPRESS
QUETTA:
Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri on Thursday expressed the resolve to protect the rights of indigenous fishermen against fishing trawlers from Sindh and foreign countries.
The federal government is devising a deep sea fishing policy that will help exploit the marine resources within the maritime limits of Pakistan which stretch to 200 nautical miles, while the provincial boundary is 12 nautical miles.
Chairing a meeting on the issue, Zehri reminded that on assuming office he had banned the use of wire-net and illegal fishing along the coastline of Balochistan.
However, he told the meeting, foreign trawlers and vessels registered in Sindh were poaching in the maritime limits of Balochistan using nets that sweep clean the seabed which not only threatens marine life but also affects the livelihood of local communities.
CM Zehri said although harmony between provinces and the Centre on devising any policy was imperative, the rights of local people must be protected. "Our fishermen should have complete authority of fishing within the maritime limit of the province and their interests should be safeguarded," he asserted.
The meeting meant to review the federal government’s policy of deep sea fishing was attended by Minister for Food Security Sinkandar Hayat Bosan, State Minister for Natural Resources Jam Kamal Khan and Balochistan Chief Secretary Saifullah Chattah.
Maritime limits
The meeting was reminded that the provincial territorial waters are confined to 12 nautical miles of the Balochistan coast while the federal government, mainly the Marine Fisheries Department, wanted to frame deep-sea fishing policy covering area from 20 nautical miles to 200 nautical miles for exploiting the marine resources.
The participants of the meeting were informed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had issued instructions to protect the fishing grounds for communities living along the Balochistan and Sindh coast and to stop illegal fishing for which a policy needs to be framed. The task includes devising policies to protect marine life.
Jam Kamal demanded development of cold storage facilities and construction of jetties and fish harbours on the Balochistan coast.
Deep sea fishing became racked with corruption when vested interests, during the Zia Martial Law in 1980s, allowed foreign trawlers to fish within Pakistan’s limits.
High-tech vessels having processing and packing units on-board swept the entire fishing ground clean, destroying marine life along the coastline. The racket was so huge that a director-general of Marine Fisheries Department was jailed for taking bribes from South Korean mafia which stalks the coastlines of under developed countries with lax regulations to exploit their marine resources.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2016.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri on Thursday expressed the resolve to protect the rights of indigenous fishermen against fishing trawlers from Sindh and foreign countries.
The federal government is devising a deep sea fishing policy that will help exploit the marine resources within the maritime limits of Pakistan which stretch to 200 nautical miles, while the provincial boundary is 12 nautical miles.
Chairing a meeting on the issue, Zehri reminded that on assuming office he had banned the use of wire-net and illegal fishing along the coastline of Balochistan.
However, he told the meeting, foreign trawlers and vessels registered in Sindh were poaching in the maritime limits of Balochistan using nets that sweep clean the seabed which not only threatens marine life but also affects the livelihood of local communities.
CM Zehri said although harmony between provinces and the Centre on devising any policy was imperative, the rights of local people must be protected. "Our fishermen should have complete authority of fishing within the maritime limit of the province and their interests should be safeguarded," he asserted.
The meeting meant to review the federal government’s policy of deep sea fishing was attended by Minister for Food Security Sinkandar Hayat Bosan, State Minister for Natural Resources Jam Kamal Khan and Balochistan Chief Secretary Saifullah Chattah.
Maritime limits
The meeting was reminded that the provincial territorial waters are confined to 12 nautical miles of the Balochistan coast while the federal government, mainly the Marine Fisheries Department, wanted to frame deep-sea fishing policy covering area from 20 nautical miles to 200 nautical miles for exploiting the marine resources.
The participants of the meeting were informed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had issued instructions to protect the fishing grounds for communities living along the Balochistan and Sindh coast and to stop illegal fishing for which a policy needs to be framed. The task includes devising policies to protect marine life.
Jam Kamal demanded development of cold storage facilities and construction of jetties and fish harbours on the Balochistan coast.
Deep sea fishing became racked with corruption when vested interests, during the Zia Martial Law in 1980s, allowed foreign trawlers to fish within Pakistan’s limits.
High-tech vessels having processing and packing units on-board swept the entire fishing ground clean, destroying marine life along the coastline. The racket was so huge that a director-general of Marine Fisheries Department was jailed for taking bribes from South Korean mafia which stalks the coastlines of under developed countries with lax regulations to exploit their marine resources.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2016.