KARACHI - The Karachi Fish Harbour (KFH) master plan that includes the modernisation of the existing auction halls and construction of the new ones has not been started yet even after a span of one year, The Nation has learnt. According to sources, the KFH, which also includes provision of a Shrimp-peeling unit and other plans based on the need for potential to generate revenues has still not made operational despite the fact that more than 9 months have been passed. They said that the help by the Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF) to Sindh government was meant to improve the physical and management system of the harbour along with the other stakeholders like Marine Fisheries Department, KFHA and others. Moreover, not a single meeting of the board, supposed to be held immediately after the initiative of the plan with the aim of undertaking the work necessary to offer a contract to a private management company has been held since then, sources said. They pointed out that it was also decided that funding of $8 million for the next steps proposed in the roadmap would be presented to the board in the form of a draft PC-1, but this was not done either. The further consultations that were not executed yet include a series of 'stakeholder workshops and 'formal consultative meetings to build a consensus. Meanwhile, Arthur Bayhan, Chief Executive of the CSF, stated 'the these activities will increase the value of the catch by about $35 million as a result of improved quality and better market prices. He further noted that there would be a reduction in the quantity of trash fish, which was currently being used for animal feed at loss-making prices. Pakistan marine fisheries produce more than 400,000 tons of fish and more than 20,000 tons of shrimp. The produce loses value from capture to delivery to the processors all along the cold chain due to poor handling and inadequate use of ice. It is pertinent to mention that in early 2007 the European Union banned import of seafood from Pakistan, so the previous government asked CSF to intervene. Moreover, on the basis of a document titled 'Action Plan for Fish Quality and Adding Value at Karachi Fish Harbor CSF proposed key initiatives to the provincial and the federal governments and their agencies to improve the harbour. The action plan included reorganisation of the management structure of the harbour, while it was also suggested by CSF to privatise the management. Moreover, the plan also proposed better water supply, more ice-making facilities, rationalising the number of boats, improving the sewerage system and up-gradation of the auction halls. The federal and provincial governments fully supported the proposed action plan and its recommendations, resultantly the CSF, in May 2008, prepared a 'roadmap as part of the continuing process of upgrading the harbour. The key purpose of the roadmap was to guide the stakeholders to bring the harbour up to a standard. On August 27 with the notification of a newly-constituted board for the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority the plan took first step. The Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority representatives claimed that boat modification work under process and there is a marked improvement in the co-ordination between the KFHA and the Marine Fisheries Department. They said that a one-window operation has been established for fishing boats while Karachi Port Trust, KFHA, Maritime Security Agency, Customs and Coast Guard also housed in one place.