Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) is likely to begin a crackdown against fishermen using illegal nets, officials said on Saturday. The authority had fixed August 1 as the deadline, urging fishermen to replace their existing nets with the approved ones. The deadline was extended till October 31 after boat owners and fishermen contended they were facing difficulties in acquiring the new nets.
Managing Director of the harbour authority Abdul Ghani Jokhio said that the authority would move against fishermen and boat owners who disregarded the deadline for procuring new nets. He said that the drive would begin after Muharram and no political pressure from any quarter would be entertained. “From January next year, no boat carrying lethal mesh nets will be allowed to set sail.” Expressing concern over non-compliance by boat owners and fishermen, he said: “They appear to be unwilling to get the approved nets for their vessels”.
Highlighting the importance to protect marine environment, he said that the authority would impose stricter laws to improve the growth of fish and shrimps, MD KFHA said, adding that banned nets would also not be allowed in creeks around Karachi. The government had fixed the minimum mesh size of 60 mm for fish and 45 mm for shrimp catch with a view to weed out lethal nets.
Catch of undersized fish and shrimp species by local fishermen had grown excessively over the past several years because of the lethargy of fisheries departments concerned. A huge decrease in landing of mature fish and shrimp species had been witnessed at fisheries for the past several years. According to an estimate, some 50 to 70 trucks carry the trash seafood every day.
Business Recorder, 2012