Ban lifted: Fishermen return to seas

KARACHI: Over a thousand boats carrying around 20 thousand fishermen from different coastal villages and the Karachi Fish Harbour left for the seas on Tuesday, which marked the last day of a one-month ban on fishing imposed by the government. The fishermen of Ibrahim Hyderi, Rehri, Chashma Goth, Shirin Jinnah Colony, Gizri, Abdullah Goth, Abdul Rahman Goth, Kaka Village, Soomar Goth, Baba Bhitt, Mubarak Village, Sanghu Goth and several other villages located along the coastal belt of Karachi left for deeper waters to resume their livelihood activity. The government imposes a ban on fishing in June and July every year, to help restore fish stocks in the breeding season for marine life. The government reduced the prohibition period this year to provide relief to famers. Pakistan exported $296.8 million worth of fish from July 2011 to May 2012, up 11% from $267.4 million in the corresponding period last year, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 1^st, 2012.