Marine ecology: Vessels must be registered to curb illegal fishing, say experts

Speakers at WWF-P workshop stress the need to involve union councils to curb the practice.

KARACHI: Illegal fishing can be controlled if vessels are registered and the local government becomes more involved, suggested speakers at a World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan (WWF-P) workshop on Thursday.

WWF-P had organised a consultative workshop, titled ‘Responsible Fisheries Practices for Pakistan: Choices and Challenges’ in collaboration with Smart Fishing Initiatives and Fisheries Development Board at Regent Plaza hotel. To keep a check over the activities of fishermen, the speakers stressed the need for the provincial governments of Sindh and Balochistan to involve union councils.



They also recommended the need for observer programmes, proper registration of vessels, accurate data collection, establishment of a fisheries university, increase in the number of local organisations and better awareness among people. To address exploitation of fisheries resources, they highlighted the need for strict implementation of laws and promotion of regional cooperation. The workshop covered illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing with special reference to the responsibilities relating to Port State Controls (PSC).

WWF-P director Rab Nawaz pointed out the workshop will help understand the issue of illegal fishing in the Indian Ocean region. It will enable the participants to evaluate the severity of the problem and understand the need for developing a common strategy to curb the practice. “The WWF-P will support the countries in the Indian Ocean region to strengthen their capacities to combat the IUU fishing,” he announced.



Talking about the background of IUU fishing, WWF-P technical adviser on marine fisheries Muhammad Moazzam Khan said, “It destroys the natural fisheries resources, cheats coastal communities depending on fish for sustenance and income, undermines the position of law-abiding commercial fishermen, affects scientific assessments and deceives consumers.”

Khan said that PSC agreement of Food And Agriculture Organisation was ratified by 92 countries, including Pakistan.  It outlines the measures to be undertaken by coastal states. “Implementation of this agreement may help reduce IUU fishing,” he urged.

Maritime Security Agency (MSA) representative Ghazi Salahuddin pointed out that monitoring and enforcement is a big challenge because of the expanse of the ocean and the large number of fishing boats. He said that the MSA was trying to tackle IUU fishing in Pakistan.

“Developing countries have greater difficulties addressing IUU fishing because of limited resources,” said Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association chairperson and Fisheries Development Board chief executive officer Faisal Iftikhar. He said that Pakistan has the lowest sea food exports in the region.

WWF-Pakistan’s Tuna Fisheries Officer Umair Shahid said that IUU operation threatened food supply and livelihoods of fishing communities. “It created significant environmental damage and allowed tax evasions.”

“Tribal system acts as a strong check on illegal fishing activities and Balochistan is a great example where local communities have managed to keep a good check,” Anwar Mundra, a social worker from Sonmiani.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2013.