Speakers on Wednesday called for the short-term and long-term conservation action plans to protect natural resources along Sindh’s coastline. Endangered wildlife, mangrove forests, and fisheries resources require a shield against all sorts of existing threats with immediate steps, they added.
Speaking at a knowledge-sharing workshop titled “Participatory Conservation Plans (PCP) for the Indus Delta” held at a local hotel, they also hoped that such steps will also help reduce adverse effects on climate. Plans developed under the Sustainable Mangroves Management and Community Development in the Indus Delta project and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and WWF-Germany, is being implemented by WWF-Pakistan.
A reduction in freshwater flows, sea intrusion, coastal flooding, and other associated factors have degraded the fertile lands of the Indus Delta that caused the local farmers and fishers to lose their livelihoods, eventually.
Participatory conservation plans aim to promote sustainable resource consumption, improve biodiversity conservation, and enhance ecosystem integrity through integrated participatory management approaches. The plans also intend to mitigate the poverty of local fishers and farmers, reduce environmental degradation, improve socio-economic conditions, and enhance community livelihoods.
Through these plans, a comprehensive set of management initiatives has been outlined to foster sustainable mangrove management and natural resource conservation. These initiatives include the implementation of measures to stabilise the shoreline and prevent erosion and promote alternative fodder and multi-purpose crops in mangrove areas. It also includes identification and plantation of suitable mangrove species that are resilient to environmental stressors and are conducive to biodiversity conservation.
The plans also emphasise the use of nature-based solutions to address environmental challenges and enhance the resilience of coastal ecosystems. Arif Ali Khokhar, Conservator Sindh Forest Department, said that these plans address the common features of overexploitation and degradation of natural resources in the coastal region of Sindh They are essential to conserve mangroves forests, improve biodiversity, and promote alternative livelihoods in the Indus Delta.
He was of the view that the forest department is fully committed to enhancing the mangroves cover in the deltaic region. These unique mangrove forests not only offer sheltering and nesting grounds to various fish species but also improve the local livelihoods. “As a result of joint efforts of the Sindh Forest Department, WWF-Pakistan, local communities, and other organisations, the mangrove cover has now increased,” he added.
Dr Ali Muhammad Mastoi Director General Sindh Fisheries Department said that in last couple of decades, fisheries resources have been decreasing due to mangroves degradation, unsustainable fishing practices, use of trawling, and water pollution in coastal waters of Karachi and the Indus River. He emphasised that there is a need to promote sustainable fishing practices and provide alternative livelihood options to the local fishers. Commenting on the plans, he said that these plans addressed the reduction in fish catch and degradation of mangrove forests and promoted awareness about sustainable fishing practices.