Experts call for enforcing maritime environmental law

Development of human and natural resources in maritime sector important for blue economic revolution

Development of human and natural resources in the maritime sector is important for a blue economic revolution in Pakistan.

This was the crux of the views expressed by maritime policy experts and marine scientists at a webinar titled The Ocean: Life, Livelihood and Sustainability - Opportunities and Challenges for Pakistan, said a statement on Tuesday.

The speakers urged the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) to take the lead in enforcing environmental laws strictly by creating synergies among the environmental protection agencies of Sindh and Balochistan and the local governments of the coastal districts of both the provinces.

Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Vice Chairman Syed Abrar Hussain chaired the webinar organized on the World Oceans Day 2021 by IPS in collaboration with University of Karachi, National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA), Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), and Maritime Study Forum (MSF), said a statement on Tuesday. Bahria University Associate Professor Dr Azhar Ahmad, Ex director-general, National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Dr Nuzhat Khan and others spoke on the occasion.

They said that developing aquaculture was critical for enhancing the livelihood means and skills of the fisher-folk coastal communities of Pakistan.

Research done in universities can help them in developing aquaculture in their coastal villages for algae, sea grasses, and several other valuable biological species having great economical, medicinal and environmental importance, they observed. APP