Experts identify problems holding back the marine industry

They say that political interference has also become an issue over the years.


Our Correspondent January 19, 2013
“There is no power distribution and no regulatory mechanisms to monitor the use of illegal nets and illegal fishing in creeks,” said Dr Fehmida Firdous. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: Environmentalists and marine experts focused not only on the problems of the marine life on the second day of a regional workshop, but also brought to light the lack of seriousness by the state towards natural resources.

“There is no power distribution and no regulatory mechanisms to monitor the use of illegal nets and illegal fishing in creeks,” said Dr Fehmida Firdous of the Sindh Wild Life Department at the workshop organised by the World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan on Friday.

Counting stakeholders, she said that the maritime security agency, Karachi Port Trust and provincial fisheries department do not pay much attention to such issues. There was pollution from Iran to Balochistan due to transfer of oil.

“The intrusion of Sindh’s trawlers in Balochistan’s waters is another issue,” she highlighted.

Lamenting about the corruption and lack of accountability in different departments, she said “There is a ban on fishing in particular months but permission is still given by the chief minister in most of the cases.” Supporting her arguments, WWF-P’s senior director, Dr Ejaz Ahmad, said that political interference had worsened the situation in Sindh. “Fishing is allowed for eight to 10 months in other countries but in Sindh, it goes on the entire year.”

Improving the marine life

To bring changes in life styles and traditional methods of fishing, Dr Firdous advised that fishermen should be provided safety apparatus and life jackets when they go to the deep sea. “They also need proper training, including education.”

According to the programme officer of the Developing World, Cassie Leisk, half of the seafood production comes from developing countries, 48 per cent of which is being traded internationally.

Changing patterns

Changes in the sea surface temperature may have both negative and positive impacts on fish population, said Ali Dehlavi, project manager of Building Capacity on Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Areas of Pakistan. “Climate change can impact life cycles of fish, including breeding and spawning, as well as impact volumes of fishermen’s catch. Factors affecting life cycles and catch include changes in sea surface temperature, sea level, precipitation, and atmospheric temperature,” he explained.

Tooraj Valinassab, senior fisheries researcher from Iran, said that evidence based on research cruises in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea suggest that the ecosystems are changing which have led to the increase of certain species and the decrease of others.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2013.

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