Fishermen Are Concern Over Deep Sea Fishing Licensing Policy 2018
Fishermen Are Concern Over Deep Sea Fishing Licensing Policy 2018:
In terms of the UN Convention on the Law of Seas 1982 and the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act 1976 the federal government has till now had the authority to regulate deep-sea fishing, beyond 12 nautical miles from the baseline to the exclusive economic zone stretching over 200 nautical miles across the coastline. This seems to have changed in the new fishing policy of 2018.
Federal government recently devised and approved the “Deep Sea Fishing Licensing Policy” 2018. Fishing was a provincial subject and the provinces had the authority to regulate fisheries in sea or in freshwater bodies
Under the new policy and rules
- Federal government has terminated the authority of the governments of Sindh and Balochistan
- Federal government has obtained powers for issuing deep-sea fishing licenses in a bid to replace useless seafood stocks.
- The provinces will be required to apply for licenses from the central government.
FAO Assessment Reports suggests A Dark Picture of Country’s Marine Fish Stock
Food and Agricultural Organization’s (FAO) recent fish stock assessment conducted with the support of the federal government had depicted a very gloomy picture of the country’s marine fish stock.
- More than 72% of the fish stock in coastal areas of Pakistan has declined.
Fishermen Have Rejected The Policy: Government Is Promoting Industrial Fishing Instead Of Small Scale Fishing
Pakistan Fisher folk Forum chief Muhammad Ali Shah said that the policy would be a blow to the crumpling fisheries in Pakistan. He said fishermen who had already been facing survival issues would have to face the results of the new policy.
The existing policy had been rejected by small-scale fishermen. He condemned that instead of promoting small-scale fisheries in light of the FAO guidelines, which Pakistan was a party to, the government was promoting industrial fishing.
Industrial fishing through the deep sea trawlers policy would be harmful to the livelihoods of small-scale fishermen.
Meanwhile a government official pointed out that clause 36 of the Fourth Federal Legislative List Part-I covered the areas of fishing and fishery resources beyond territorial waters within jurisdiction of the federal government.