Following Sindh government’s decision to two-month ban on catching shrimp during the season since June 1st to July 31st this year, fishermen have demanded provincial government to announce package and fix amount for fishing community as compensation. This is after 10 years that imposition of the ban was started from June 1st. Earlier, instead of two months, only one month ban, during July, was imposed since 2008. The ban aimed at avoiding catch of juvenile fish during the breeding season. Hundreds of boats can be seen moving along the 350 kilometres long coastal area and fishermen are engaged in repairing vessels and mending tattered nets during the free time. Pakistan Fisher folk Forum (PFF) Chairman Muhammad Ali Shah representing the marine and inland fishermen communities has said that around one million fishermen, mostly engaged in marine fishing will face challenges due to this ban and might be staying idle at homes for two-month long period. Shah proposed that the provincial government would announce fix amount of Rs 10,000 per family as compensation so the poor workforce may live safely during this ban period. He said, “This package is a need of time as not only the inflation rate creates problem for the poor workforce, they will face odd situation for two-months long period, especially the month of Ramadan is falling during the crucial period.” He quoted the FAO guidelines and urged upon the government to implement the same and avoid degradation of resources. He said that Pakistan is signatory of these international guidelines and conventions and must follow the same adding that when the government designs policies and laws, they must review these guidelines to avoid any issues. Shah further said that though fishing sector contributes more than agriculture to national exchequer, there are no incentives for workforce from the government to maintain this product. He said increasing global warning and climate change has put adverse impacts on this sector and hundreds of fishermen in Thatta, Sujawal and Badin districts are experiencing migration from one place to the other in search of better living. On the other hand, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan is working to address the growing environmental and conservation issues in Pakistan and has lauded the ban imposed by the government. According to WWF Pakistan, shrimp resources of the coastal areas of Pakistan have been over-exploited, therefore, federal government issued a notification under Exclusive Fishery Zone, Regulation of Fishing Act, 1975 for the management and conservation of shrimp resources and declared that no shrimp would be caught during the period from June 1st to July 31st this year in the entire area of the zone. The Sindh government under section 4 of the Sindh Fisheries Ordinance, 1980, announced a ban on shrimp fishing for the month of June and July in 1983. However, it was only during three years including 1984, 1985 and 2007 that this ban was imposed for two months of June and July. While, in the remaining period ban was imposed for only one month. According to WWF Pakistan, studies carried out by Marine Fisheries Department and FAO revealed that over-fishing of shrimp in Pakistan started in early 1970s when the catch of large-sized white shrimp started decreasing. This led to growth of over-fishing when size composition of each category of shrimp declined that started in early 1980s. There has been 80 percent decline in the catch of large size over the past four decades, which required imposition of the two months fishing ban on the catch of shrimp from June 1st to July 31st. WWF Pakistan Technical Adviser Marine Fisheries, Mohammad Moazzam Khan said, “The catch per boat of all category of shrimp has declined drastically and there is a need that appropriate management measures should be taken.” He said fishing fleet engaged in shrimp trawling has increased and it is estimated that more than 2,500 trawlers are operating in Sindh adding that this large sized fleet has resulted in extremely high level of over-fishing. Khan further said the imposition of ban on catching shrimp is considered to be most effective management measures as it allows juvenile shrimp to move from mangrove and shallow coastal areas to open sea adding that the imposition of a ban for two months would ensure reducing pressure on the dwindling shrimp stocks. It is appreciable that now fishermen community, processors and exporters also support imposition of ban for a period of two months, he added.
2015 Dailytimes