On World Fishermen Day, Sindh’s fishermen look to the govt for help

Decline in marine life due to multiple reasons has made it increasingly difficult for them to make a living

KARACHI: Umar Mirbahar goes to the beach every day on his age-old bicycle for fishing. The 46-year-old father of five hardly manages to make enough money to make ends meet and feed his family.

"There is almost no fish in the sea," lamented Umar. "And there is no other profession for me. I was born a fisherman and I will die as a fisherman. But I don't think my kids will opt for this profession," he said, his tone giving away both resentment and hope.

When asked who he holds responsible for the situation the fisherfolk community finds itself in, Umar simply looks confused. "The situation was quite good until around a decade ago. But every passing day brings a new challenge," he said, adding that the government can at least start a rehabilitation scheme for underprivileged persons, especially those belonging to the fisherfolk community.

There is no exact data of the total number of fishermen in the province. But the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) - a rights body working for fisher folk rights - puts the number at around three million, including at least two million living along the coastal areas, while the remaining relying on inland water sources for their catch.

Restriction on fishing forces fishermen to live hand to mouth

According to the PFF, around a million fishermen live along Karachi's coastal belt along, but their living conditions tell a sorry tale of neglect and official apathy. "There is no policy for us," said Talib Kutchi, a fisherfolk activist. "We are an ignored people," he complained.

World Fishermen Day

On Thursday, Karachi's fishermen marked 'World Fisherman Day', commemorated across the world on November 21. This year, the theme was 'Fishermen's Sovereignty on All Water Bodies'. Hundreds of fishermen from different areas, including Khadda Market, Keamari, Baba Island, Bhitt Island, Baldia and other parts of the city, gathered in Ibrahim Haidery - the hub of the fisherfolk community.

"Marine life is on the decline," said Muhammad Ali Shah, the president of PFF. He counted a number of reasons for the decline of fish in the sea and in fresh water bodies. "Marine pollution, degeneration of wetlands, deforestation of mangroves, overfishing in deep waters, encroachments on fresh water bodies, lack of fresh water and no interest of the government in this sector are some the reasons directly impacting the fisherfolk community," said Shah. He added that there has been a decline of up to 70% in the fish population. "Several species recently vanished," he pointed out.

"There is no sustainable policy for fishermen," complained Shah. "Marine life and ecology must be protected and for this, the government needs to have a vision." Lashing out at the Sindh government, the PFF leader said that the provincial government did not have pro-fishermen policies and laws.

Fishermen reluctant to install tracking system for being too costly

For his part, an official of the Livestock and Fisheries department told The Express Tribune that the fishermen should also take care of their resources. "The government really wants them to have a better lifestyle but they [fishermen], along with their so-called leaders, destroy their own resources," the official added.

Fishermen of fresh water

Explaining the situation of fishermen of fresh water bodies, especially those of Manchhar Lake, the official said that the decision taken during General Zia-ul-Haq's tenure was anti-fishermen. "Poisonous water has been released into the lake since 1979." He added that around 800,000 fishermen, who used to catch fish at the lake, were disturbed socially, culturally and economically.

The official added that most of the fresh water bodies have been encroached by the 'leaders' of fishermen, not by the government.

Supporting Umar's concerns, Aijaz Ahmed Mahesar, the Livestock and Fisheries Department Secretary, said that the condition of Sindh's fishermen was far from satisfactory. "I know their issues. The government has various projects in the pipeline," he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2019.