RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: A two-month fishing ban is expected to take place in June-July period during the interim government to restrict the fisheries hunt in high-tide summer season.

Insofar, the officials told Business Recorder on Friday that the incumbent government is likely to recommend the fishing ban for two-month to the caretaker setup to restrict the hunting until Aug 1.

They said that it is however uncertain whether the government will place the ban for two months, as the PPP gave a month concession in the past to the fishermen, which they believe, are their voters. The officials unlike fishermen believe that the banned fishing months, when tides in Arabian Sea are higher, provide a chance to shrimps to hatch their breed.

“It [June-July] is basically a breeding season for shrimps and few fish species, therefore the government places a ban everyone year on the hunt of fish and shrimp,” they said, adding that the ban is expected to be strict this year. They also said that the Karachi Fish Harbor Authority is evolving a plan to ban the boats from mooring inside the navigational channel.

Pakistan’s seafood export continues to grow to $315.597 million in July-March 2017-18, higher by 14.43 percent. Increase in the seafood export now stands at $39.79 million in July-March 2017-18 from $275.807 million in July-March 2016-17, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics says.

Seafood export volume touched 130,148 metric tons mark in July-March 2017-18 from 105,039 metric tons in July-March 2016-17, up by 24 percent or 25,109 metric tons. In March 2018, fisheries export shot up by 43 percent or $15.369 million to $51.388 million from $36.019 million in March 2017.

The country exported 20,136 metric tons of seafood in March 2018 from 16,007 metric tons in March 2017, higher by 26 percent or 4,129 metric tons. Fishermen say the catch landing this fiscal year has been promising with a better market price.