Illegal fishing in Sindh waters goes unchecked

KARACHI - The Provincial Government, despite making tall claims, has failed to restrict the sea lords and mafias using of tidal trap nets in Sindh water. The illegal fishing not only causing decline in fish stock but also depriving thousands of fishermen of their livelihood, it was learnt. Moreover, marine pollution is another source of decline of the different species of fish. According to a survey, the fisheries and environment authorities are seen unable to tackle the alarming situation in the Sindh water. A source said that the fish catch had already declined due to the abuse of tidal trap nets. A few months ago, the Government had taken a serious note of the use of tidal trap net and the Provincial Minister for Fisheries Zahid Bhurgari had announced to launch a campaign against the culprits. However, the sources said, that no action had so far been taken for the implementation of the decision. Instead of making tall claims and launching several unaffected actions, no seriousness has been shown by the authorities concerns said the fisher experts while talking to TheNation. Criticising the government, the small fishermen said that none of the government has taken any serious action in this serious issue. They urged the government to take immediate steps in this regard as this was not only depriving a large number of people of their livelihood but also endangering the entire fishing industry. On the other side, the Sindh water is also being affected by releasing of polluted and chemical-mixed water by many industries. According to fisheries sou-rces, about 300 million gallons daily (mgd) of untreated industrial and municipal waste is being dumped into the Arabian Sea every day. They said that due to this alarming situation, fishermen were extremely worried over diminishing marine resources and depletion of several valuable fish species over the years. They expressed concern over growing sea pollution and argued that had the relevant law been implemented, the sea would no have been facing such a worst kind of pollution. They said that until 1971 the fish species highly sensitive to pollution was abundantly available in the sea but today they were found nowhere.They were of the view that deep-sea fishing was also a major threat to the countrys fisheries sector. Big trawlers (known as factory trawlers) had been sweeping away marine resources in the countrys territorial waters for long, besides damaging the natural resources like mangroves and fish habitats, they said, adding that operators of these trawlers were also indulging in poaching, under-reporting and polluting the sea by disposing of the by-catch (unwanted species) into the sea. Although the deep-sea trawlers were supposed to operate beyond 35-miles off the coastal belt, a weak surveillance network and a corrupt bureaucracy tacitly allowed the owners of these trawlers to violate the law, representatives of local fishermen said. As early as 1998, a report compiled by the Save the Children Fund warned: With over-fishing a looming problem, the livelihood of the fishing community is considered to be at risk. About 34 trawlers are fishing in the international water boundary, and they are creating immense problems for small and medium-sized fishing boats. If these practices are to continue, the entire fishing communitys livelihood will shortly be at stake. Even at present, many boats going out in the sea are coming back with small catches. The depletion of fish stocks at home stimulated migration of fishing community to 'productive waters, according to a study. Since the world fishing fleets possess 'more than twice the level of catching power needed to achieve a catch level that would not deplete stocks, it is not surprising that the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has called upon states to take measures to prevent or eliminate excess fishing capacity, says the study. This will require a revision of existing agreements of fisheries so as to contain depletion and make the stocks sustainable. However developing coastal states are often unable to insist on the inclusion of terms and conditions needed to ensure action against over-fishing, because of their need for the compensation provided in access agreements, it further says.