Govt lacks funds to curb illegal fishing

The Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries Barkat Ali Rind has informed a Balochistan Assembly Standing Committee that the government is facing significant difficulty in keeping a check on illegal fishing trawlers in Gwadar's marine area.

The number of illegal fishing trawlers is large while the manpower and resources available to the government are limited. The parliamentary secretary said that the department has failed to curb illegal fishing in the coastal waters of Balochistan due to inadequate fuel, a shortage of patrol vessels and lack of human resource.

He said that despite various challenges, the employees of the department have seized 11 illegal trawlers involved in illegal fishing along the marine boundaries of the province since January 2023.

The Balochistan Assembly Standing Committee on Fisheries reaffirmed its commitment to address the challenges being faced by local fishermen and ensure sustainable management in the sector.

The meeting of the Standing Committee on Fisheries was held under the chair of Maulana Hidayatur Rehman while members of the committee included Abdul Majeed Badini, Zabid Ali Reki, Safia and Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries Barkat Ali Rind.