KARACHI (November 21 2009): The Competitive Support Fund (CSF) wants re-organisation of the management structure of Karachi Fish Harbour through elected fishermen body at Fishermen Co-operative Society (FCS) with increased number of its members for foreign investment. The CEO of CSF, Arthur Bayhan, told reporters on Friday that the Fund also proposes that the harbour"s management should be given to outside private companies.

He was speaking at a meeting with Sindh Fisheries Minister, DG Marine Fisheries Department (MFD), Secretary, Fisheries and Livestock Dr Laiq Memon Ijaz Mangi, MD of Karachi Fish Harbour Authority, Administrator of FCS Jaffer Khawaja, Chairman Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association (Pakfea) M. Faisal Iftikhar and other officials and stakeholders at the fish harbour.

Unfolding the recommendations of CSF action plan, Bayhan said that they include physical rehabilitation of the infrastructure, better water supply, more ice-making, rationalising the number of boats in the harbour with improved sewage system and upgrading auction halls.

He said he hoped that the implementation of these recommendations would increase the annual value of the catch of $35 million. Besides, these recommendations would also help reduce the volume of trash fish, which is used as animal feed at loss-making prices. He said that the implementation of these recommendations would help Pakistan retrieve its EU market for seafood exports. Pakistan is facing a loss of $60 million, equal to 30 percent of value of exports, for being unable to export to EU presently.

He pointed out that the federal government has supported the Fund"s recommendations, while the Sindh government was keenly following them to improve the harbour"s overall outlook. He added that there is a huge area for improving of the basic physical and managerial infrastructure of the harbour. However, at present it is better than the past.

Earlier, Sindh Fisheries Minister Zahid Ali Bhargari announced a crackdown drive against the fishermen using banned nets in the sea and creeks which would begin after Eid-ul-Azha. He said that Pakistan suffers Rs 2 billion annually because of the EU market loss which he linked to the previous government"s bad policies, resulting in a ban on the country"s seafood export to union"s 25 countries.

However, Pakistan, despite EU restrictions, exports its seafood products to about 70 countries of the world, he said, adding that the seafood export resumption to union will further increase the country"s national exchequer from this sector. He said that the EU"s reservations on standard and quality of seafood, fish harbour and fishing boats are being removed and the government is rehabilitating the fish harbour on modern lines.

A master plan for about 34 acres of fish harbour has been completed and with some amendments work on its will start, he said. The minister said that a summery to CM Sindh has been sent for acquisition of 20,000 acres of barren land, which has been eroded by seawater, for shrimp farming.

Bhargari said that the Sindh government has abolished the contractual system in some 1209 wetlands in the province and freed the fishermen to catch fish and sell for their own families instead for landlords. Also, licence fee between Rs 100 and Rs 500 has also been waived for poor fishermen, he added. Dr Laiq Memon gave a presentation on renovation work undertaken at the harbour to improve its overall physical conditions.