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Deep-sea fishing to be
allowed soon: Shafi Niaz
 ISLAMABAD- The deep-sea fishing operation will soon be
allowed, but at the same time heavy penalties as proposed by
the Chairman National Fishery Development Board, would be
enhanced so that vessels do not intrude into the areas beyond
35 nautical miles. Shafi Niaz, advisor to the Chief Executive
Pervez Musharraf.
He said, that the fisheries sector has attained significant
progress as a result of the special attention accorded by the
present government to enhance its production for earning
foreign exchange through its exports.
He said that on the instructions of the CE, a number of
initiatives have been taken by the federal and provincial
departments for boosting the production of the fisheries
sector. Besides, a new fishing policy to protect the interests
of the small fishermen and to raise the foreign exchange
earnings through the export of fishery products has been
formulated to achieve the goals.
These measures, he said, include the strengthening of the
infrastructure facilities, improvement of extension services,
introduction of aquaculture techniques, diversification of
fishing efforts, improvement in post harvest techniques,
development of the value added products, enhancement of per
capital consumption and up-gradation of socio-economic
condition of the fishermen's community.
Pakistan exports a reasonable quantity of shrimp and fish and
earns a substantial amount of foreign exchange and during the
calendar year 1999 alone, 90.384 million tons of fishery
products were exported to Japan, US, UK, Germany, Middle East
and other countries, he added.
Shafi Niaz, who is also the Chairman of the National Fishery
Development Board said that the Marine Fisheries Department is
also executing a project, namely, "Establishment of a Hatchery
Complex for Production of
Fish/Shrimp Seeds" which will play a vital role for the
development of fish and shrimp farming, the sources stressed.
Fishery, not only plays an important role in the country's
economy, but is also a source of livelihood, he added.
Apart from marine fisheries, inland fisheries comprising of
rivers, lakes, ponds, dams are also very important source of
animal protein, the sources said. He said, due to substantial
increase in the fish catch, the fisheries sector posted a
growth of 8.5 per cent during the fiscal year 1999-2000, as
compared with 0.6 per cent recorded in the precedingyear, the
sources said.
He said during 1999-2000, the marine fishing recorded a growth
of 9.5 per cent, while the inland fishing posted a growth of
7.1 per cent, reflecting a significant growth in fisheries
sector.
Shafi Niaz said the total fish production during 1999-2000 was
estimated at 627,000 million tons. The share of the marine
sector was 452,000 million tons and the inland's contribution
was 175,000 million tons.
He said the total number of persons engaged in the fishery
sector during 999-2000 was estimated at 395,000. Out of which,
125000 persons (31.6 per cent) were engaged in marine sector
and 27,000 (68.4 percent) in inland fisheries. The financial
institutions like the ADBP and SBFC have been directed to
extend loans at concession rates to the small fishermen.
courtesy Daily The News ,16
April, 2002
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Pakissan.com;
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