Plan hatched, but fish and shrimps didn’t

The federal government has refused to provide funds to the Sindh government for initiating work on the Rs 2 billion aquaculture and shrimp farming project – depriving millions of fisherfolk in the province from benefiting through standardised fishing practices, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The Centre was supposed to provide funds for the modern fish farming project that envisaged establishment of model fish/shrimp farms, rehabilitation/augmentation of hatcheries, introduction and promotion of caged-fish farming, setting up state of the art fish markets, training shrimp and fish farmer community, establishment of the private sector-led Fisheries Development Board, technical support and research for fisherfolk and the development of a master plan for coastal, inland and marine aquaculture for boosting the fishing industry.
Under the proposed plan, the Sindh government was to establish five new fish hatcheries in areas along the coastal belt of Badin and Thatta districts, renovate five existing fish hatcheries apart from setting up model shrimp farms for demonstration and model fish markets to give a boost to the fishing industry in the province and empower the fisherfolk financially.
The Sindh Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Department had also identified around 20,000 acres of land along the coastal belt as the project site but due to the Centre’s refusal to fund the aquaculture project citing acute financial crisis, the authorities concerned have failed to go ahead with the plan, well-placed sources in the Sindh government told Pakistan Today.
The provincial fisheries department is involved in installing infrastructure for the poor fisherfolk community and the new project would have further augmented the efforts of the department, they said.
Intending to improve fish landing sites across the province, the department has implemented the “Provision of Landing Platform, Chilling Storage and Processing Facilities at Zero Point, Badin, Keenjhar and Manchar Lakes, Thatta and Karachi Fish Harbour” project worth Rs 334 million.
The poor communities, particularly those fishing near the Karachi Fish Harbour, will also benefit from another developmental project currently being employed under the title of “Modification of Boats and Provision of Fishing Gears, Ice Boxes and Plastic Crates to Fishermen in Sindh” costing Rs 352 million.
“The modification of boats undertaken under this project is reducing wastage of fish catch and improving incomes significantly,” the sources said.
Moreover, current developments at the Karachi Fish Harbour under an existing PC-1 of Rs 295 million, are providing much needed equipments (trolleys, baskets, weighing scales, etc), improving the quality and value of the catch while reducing frauds. These initiatives are contributing to the improvement of the financial conditions of fishermen.
Meanwhile, the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority is also mulling over a master plan project worth Rs 509 million to improve facilities at the harbour. “Apart from improving conditions – leading to better prices for fish catch – the master plan will also upgrade many small boats, establish a new auction hall, two new jetties, a sewage treatment plant, upgrading roads and prawn peeling sheds,” the sources disclosed.