Fishermen oppose 'national fisheries policy'

Say fisheries is provincial subject, only provinces can formulate policy

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KARACHI:

The fishermen community has strongly criticised and opposed the formation of fisheries policy at national level, stating that fisheries is clearly a provincial subject, therefore, only provinces can formulate any policy about fishing sector.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Chairperson of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, Mustafa Mirani said that they have learnt through media that the authorities in the federal government are engaged in formulating a national level fisheries policy. He said that the fishermen community is main stakeholder of fisheries sector but they are not consulted before drafting this policy. "We will not accept any policy that is made against our interests," he warned.

It is pertinent to mention that the federal government has circulated a draft of the 'National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy 2025-35' with provincial governments including Sindh and Balochistan. Provincial Secretary for Fisheries and Livestock, Sindh, Kazim Hussain Jatoi confirmed this and informed The Express Tribune that the Sindh government was still preparing its feedback to the proposed policy.

According to the proposed policy the federal government shall establish an apex council namely 'Pakistan Fisheries and Aquaculture Council (PFAC)' comprising relevant stakeholders from the centre and the provinces. It will propose amendments to the fisheries policy and legislation to resolve issues in federal-provincial context of fisheries and aquaculture governance.

In this draft the Sindh and Balochistan governments are advised to register and regularise all the existing informal unauthorised private jetties and landing sites through specific law, rules and guidelines. "Annual tax, rent and fee will be levied on all such jetties and landing sites for the structure erected inside sea (starting from high water mark)," it stated.

According to the draft the Mercantile Marine Department shall register every vessel, except merchant and cargo ships, which intends to operate in country's waters. "The governments of the coastal provinces of Sindh and Balochistan are advised to complement their efforts in establishing a country-level integrated and coherent 'Central Digital Register' for sea-going fishing vessels and harbour crafts by the MMD of the federal government which shall have devolved system arrangements for registration processing at provincial level," it stated.

According to the draft, the federal government, in consultation with provincial governments of Sindh and Balochistan, shall rationalise 'One-Licence System' along with 'Benefit Sharing Mechanism' for co-management of capture fisheries in all fishing zones in marine waters of Pakistan including certification for nakhuda and crew.

It has also been proposed in the draft that there will be three months ban on fishing, from June to August, instead of existing two months, at sea and in freshwater resources. According to the proposed policy, the federal and provincial governments shall develop and implement dedicated rules to reform or describe the role and governance mechanism regarding social organisational setups like fisheries cooperative societies.