Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Fishing industry in Pakistan
The fishing industry plays a significant part in the national economy of Pakistan. With a coastline of about 650 miles (1,046 km), Pakistan has enough fishery resources that remain to be developed. Most of the population of the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan depends on fisheries for livelihood. It is also a major source of export earning.
Fishing industry is managed by the Fisheries Development Commissioner (FDC) under the Ministry Food, Agriculture Livestock (MFAL) of Government of Pakistan. The office of the FDC is responsible for policy, planning and coordination with provincial fisheries departments and other national and international agencies such as Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission. The marine subsector is overlooked by Marine Fisheries Department (MFD).
The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) is engaged in the research of the industry. Some universities in the country are also involved in basic fisheries research.
Pakistan has many marine and inland fishery resources. The potential was estimated at 1 million tonnes/year from the marine subsector alone. The commercially important resources include near 250 demersal fish species, 50 small pelagic fish species, 15 medium-sized pelagic species and 20 large pelagic fish species. In addition, there are also 15 commercial species of shrimp, 12 of cephalopods and 5 of lobster. The effect of the Indus River Delta on the marine resources of the coastline of Sindh is substantial, as this river system has been transporting enormous quantities of nutrients and sediment to the continental shelf for centuries. Pakistan has an extensive inland water areas system, which is mainly dominated by the Indus River. These water bodies, depending on their type, possess varying potential for development of the inland and aquaculture subsectors. Inland water bodies, like dams, water locks, reservoirs, rivers, lakes and ponds cover an area of approximately 8 million hectares.
The shrimp variety includes the species of Penaeus indicus and Penaeus monodon among 12 other. Surveys in the Arabian Sea indicate that commercial species of crustaceans like shrimps and lobsters are overexploited. Crabs, cephalopods and other molluscs are an unconventional resource. However, there is a potential in the export market as a substitute for these. Demersal fish resources show the signs of being exploited, hence only limited expansion of catch is possible in future. There may be a possibility of expanding the catch the small pelagic fish resources by venturing further offshore. It is very much likely that the fishermen would have to consider using new fishing methods in order to achieve this. As for the larger variety of pelagic fish, especially Skipjack tuna and its relatives, are available in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan in the Karachi District. Fishing for these usually result in by-catches of marlin and shark species. Local fishing fleet commonly harvests the species of Frigate mackerel, Indian mackerel, Spanish mackerel, barracuda and dolphinfish. The production figures of 2006 showed overexploitation relative to maximum sustainable yield level. A large variety of mesopelagic fish exist just off the continental shelf and are barely exploited. These resources are prime candidates for conversion to fishmeal for use in poultry and aquaculture but no commercial use is available in the country. Mussels, oysters, clams, seaweed, kelp, sea urchins and other marine resources also exist in Pakistan but further research data is required in order to evaluate the feasibility of propagating the mariculture of these varieties.
Pakistan has a continental shelf area of 50,270 km2 and coastline length of 1,120 km. The total maritime zone of Pakistan is over 30 percent of the land area. The coastal belt is characterized by a meshwork of estuaries and creeks with mangrove forestry that serve as nursery grounds for species of finfish and shellfish. In 1958, the first modern fish harbour was constructed at the Karachi District. Later, the fleet expanded and is now mostly mechanized.
Karachi Fish Harbour is the biggest and oldest of its kind in Pakistan, being used by all types of fishing boats. Currently more than 4,000 fishing craft are based in it. At present, it can be assumed that the harbour caters for the needs of near 75 percent of the local fleet.
The major fish harbours of Pakistan are:
Hub AI
Fishing industry in Pakistan AI simulator
(@Fishing industry in Pakistan_simulator)
Fishing industry in Pakistan
The fishing industry plays a significant part in the national economy of Pakistan. With a coastline of about 650 miles (1,046 km), Pakistan has enough fishery resources that remain to be developed. Most of the population of the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan depends on fisheries for livelihood. It is also a major source of export earning.
Fishing industry is managed by the Fisheries Development Commissioner (FDC) under the Ministry Food, Agriculture Livestock (MFAL) of Government of Pakistan. The office of the FDC is responsible for policy, planning and coordination with provincial fisheries departments and other national and international agencies such as Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission. The marine subsector is overlooked by Marine Fisheries Department (MFD).
The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) is engaged in the research of the industry. Some universities in the country are also involved in basic fisheries research.
Pakistan has many marine and inland fishery resources. The potential was estimated at 1 million tonnes/year from the marine subsector alone. The commercially important resources include near 250 demersal fish species, 50 small pelagic fish species, 15 medium-sized pelagic species and 20 large pelagic fish species. In addition, there are also 15 commercial species of shrimp, 12 of cephalopods and 5 of lobster. The effect of the Indus River Delta on the marine resources of the coastline of Sindh is substantial, as this river system has been transporting enormous quantities of nutrients and sediment to the continental shelf for centuries. Pakistan has an extensive inland water areas system, which is mainly dominated by the Indus River. These water bodies, depending on their type, possess varying potential for development of the inland and aquaculture subsectors. Inland water bodies, like dams, water locks, reservoirs, rivers, lakes and ponds cover an area of approximately 8 million hectares.
The shrimp variety includes the species of Penaeus indicus and Penaeus monodon among 12 other. Surveys in the Arabian Sea indicate that commercial species of crustaceans like shrimps and lobsters are overexploited. Crabs, cephalopods and other molluscs are an unconventional resource. However, there is a potential in the export market as a substitute for these. Demersal fish resources show the signs of being exploited, hence only limited expansion of catch is possible in future. There may be a possibility of expanding the catch the small pelagic fish resources by venturing further offshore. It is very much likely that the fishermen would have to consider using new fishing methods in order to achieve this. As for the larger variety of pelagic fish, especially Skipjack tuna and its relatives, are available in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan in the Karachi District. Fishing for these usually result in by-catches of marlin and shark species. Local fishing fleet commonly harvests the species of Frigate mackerel, Indian mackerel, Spanish mackerel, barracuda and dolphinfish. The production figures of 2006 showed overexploitation relative to maximum sustainable yield level. A large variety of mesopelagic fish exist just off the continental shelf and are barely exploited. These resources are prime candidates for conversion to fishmeal for use in poultry and aquaculture but no commercial use is available in the country. Mussels, oysters, clams, seaweed, kelp, sea urchins and other marine resources also exist in Pakistan but further research data is required in order to evaluate the feasibility of propagating the mariculture of these varieties.
Pakistan has a continental shelf area of 50,270 km2 and coastline length of 1,120 km. The total maritime zone of Pakistan is over 30 percent of the land area. The coastal belt is characterized by a meshwork of estuaries and creeks with mangrove forestry that serve as nursery grounds for species of finfish and shellfish. In 1958, the first modern fish harbour was constructed at the Karachi District. Later, the fleet expanded and is now mostly mechanized.
Karachi Fish Harbour is the biggest and oldest of its kind in Pakistan, being used by all types of fishing boats. Currently more than 4,000 fishing craft are based in it. At present, it can be assumed that the harbour caters for the needs of near 75 percent of the local fleet.
The major fish harbours of Pakistan are: