Govt bans use of fine nets in coastal waters

Fine nets threaten extinction of 35 fish species, including shrimp, warns fishermen's leader

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KARACHI:

The Sindh government has banned all types of fine nets used in fishing. Their use was rapidly reducing the fish stocks in the sea. In this regard, the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority has sent a letter to all relevant institutions, including the fishermen and trawler owners' association, in which they have been informed about the ban on the use of fine nets.

According to sources, the said ban has been imposed to save the rapidly depleting fish stocks in the province's maritime boundaries. However, according to fishermen's leader Abdul Majeed Motani, such bans have been imposed before but have never been implemented.

Talking to The Express Tribune, he said that there is a need to ensure the implementation of this ban. He said that the use of fine nets is threatening the complete extinction of 35 species of fish, including shrimp. These species of fish breed in the roots of mangroves. They are being eliminated due to the use of fine nets.

It should be noted that the order banning the use of fine nets has been issued through the amendments recently introduced in the Sindh Fisheries Ordinance 1980. According to the amendment in sub-rule (2) of Rule 25-A: "No person shall be allowed to fish with encircling net or improvised purse seine nets locally called 'wire net' or 'ring net' and bottom trawl locally called 'trawls' or 'Gujja', 'Gujjo' or 'Gujji' in the creek areas of the province of Sindh and up to twelve nautical miles from the shore along the coast and territorial waters of the province of Sindh."

Whereas the amendment in sub-rule (3) of Rule 25-A states that: "Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules, a fishing license granted under the Ordinance or rules made thereunder shall not entitle or authorise the licensee to fish with encircling net or improvised purse net locally called 'wire net' or 'ring net' in the creeks, internal waters and twelve nautical miles from the baseline and shall fish by gillnets with a mesh size not less than 120mm (stretched) and shrimp fishing net with a mesh size not less than 60mm (stretched) beyond internal waters and twelve nautical miles away from the baseline along the coast of the province of Sindh, and shall not disrupt already laid fishing nets. Set bag nets locally called 'Bulla' or 'Bullo' nets (estuaries and creeks set bag net) and seine nets locally called 'Katra' are prohibited for such creeks and territorial waters of the province of Sindh."