Pakistan unveils 10-year national plan to conserve shark populations

Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Tuesday unveiled Pakistan’s first 10-year national action plan for shark conservation, under which the government would restore declining shark populations, curb illegal finning and bycatch, protect critical marine habitats and promote sustainable fisheries in Pakistani waters through 2035.

The plan will be implemented in three phases by the Marine Fisheries Department and backed by an estimated $3.8 million to $5 million in funding during its first five years.

In a statement, Chaudhry said that the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (NPOA-Sharks Pakistan 2025-2035) would be overseen by a multi-stakeholder National Advisory Committee. He further added that the plan sought to strengthen fisheries management and enforcement while improving data collection and scientific research on shark populations.

Among the proposed measures are mandatory fins-naturally-attached policies, species-specific protections, shark sanctuaries, mangrove restoration and steps to reduce shark deaths as bycatch across different fisheries. The plan also seeks to improve the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities through targeted support, while encouraging sustainable shark fisheries and greater international cooperation, including through the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.

The minister said that the implementation would be assessed annually against performance indicators such as landing-site monitoring coverage, completion of stock assessments, deployment of vessel monitoring systems and reductions in bycatch mortality. Formal reviews would be carried out every three years.

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The plan covers all chondrichthyan species found in Pakistani waters, including sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras, with particular focus on species targeted by fisheries or facing high levels of bycatch mortality.

“Although the primary emphasis is on sharks, the management frameworks, data collection systems and enforcement mechanisms established through the NPOA will also benefit other elasmobranch species,” the minister said.

He said the action plan had been tailored to Pakistan’s ecological, institutional and socioeconomic conditions while remaining aligned with the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s International Plan of Action for Sharks and other international best practices.

Preparation of the plan fulfilled Pakistan’s responsibilities as a shark-fishing nation under international fisheries law, he added.

The FAO’s international shark action plan encourages countries to develop national conservation and management plans, minimise waste and promote sustainable fishing practices. Chaudhry said that “responsible management of marine resources must come first”, stressing the need for stronger safeguards for vulnerable shark species and those whose capture is prohibited.