To facilitate the fisherfolk community, all small fishing vessels up to 18 feet would be immediately registered free of charge initially for one year, said Sindh Fisheries Minister Zahid Bhurgari while presiding over the 15th meeting of the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KFHA) Board of Directors on Wednesday. Bhurgari – also the KFHA chairman – chaired the meeting, while KFHA Managing Director Abdul Ghani Jokhio briefed the participants about the agenda. On the issue of registration of small boats, the provincial minister directed that all ‘horas’ (boat length of 16 to 18 feet) would be registered immediately free of charge for one year to facilitate the fisherfolk.
To extend further facilities to local fishermen, the KFHA decided to issue registration cards to fishermen between aged 16 to 18 years for facilitating them on proceeding to fishing trips.
The KFHA Board of Directors also approved the budget for the current financial year with a total income of Rs 156.154 million and expenditures of Rs 156.003 million with an allocation of Rs 20 million for development works including harbour maintenance. The KFHA managing director informed the board that since he had assumed office, Rs 20 million have been recovered within the span of four months – an effort that the board of directors appreciated. It was decided at the meeting that a non-utilisation fee of Rs 300 per square yards be imposed on any allottee who is yet to start construction on the leased out plots in the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) and if he does not started construction within 3 months, the lease would be cancelled.
On the point of dredging the harbour channel, Bhurgari informed the participants that he had taken up the matter with the Prime Minister, who assured that once dredging in Balochistan is complete, the channel of Karachi Fish Harbour would also be dredged out. The board also approved a scheme for constructing desalination and water treatment plants at the fish harbour with assistance from the Korean government and Sindh government costing around Rs 800 million. At the meeting, a six-member committee was constituted to resolve the issues including payment of outstanding dues between KFHA and FCS. The committee would submit its report within 15 days.
The issue of banned nets – bullo – also came under consideration at the meeting and the Maritime Security Agency was asked to implement the decision. Regarding ‘gujjo’ nets, it was decided that an exercise will be carried out on November 22 to settle the issue of the size of the net.
