Fishing is one of the predominant occupations of the population along the Makran coast. One of the key reasons behind this is the lack of alternate career options. Moreover, most fishermen’s ancestors have been engaged in fishing as the source of their bread for centuries, so they are deemed experts and decide to turn their expertise into a lifelong occupation.
This is to draw the attention of the government that illegal fishing by illegal boats and trawlers is being carried out at Makran coast. A meeting was held in this regard, where the fisheries department stated that we have several difficulties in stopping the illegal fishing in Balochistan waters due to lack of manpower and speedy patrolling boats.
However, the officials of department despite facing difficulties had taken effective measures against illegal fishing and trawlers boats. Additionally, the illegal fishing trawlers do not only deprive the local fisherman, but it also harmfully affects the marine life and Balochistan’s resources. The meeting was informed that a vessel monitoring system would be installed on boats and all local fishermen would be asked to ensure registration of their boats.
The chief secretary Rana remarked that the agency concerned should take strict actions against illegal trawlers and unregistered boats coming for fishing in Balochistan’s water.
Thus, the fisheries department should develop its capacity to curb illegal fishing in Balochistan waters and added the provincial government should extend all sort of cooperation in this regard.
Earlier in August, the Balochistan chief secretary has said that government has taken immediate steps for stopping illegal fishing at the Makran coast. The government will take legal action against those who have given permission for fishing to foreign trawlers in this coastal area.
Presiding over a meeting in the port city of Gwadar, he said that allowing illegal fishing in Arabia Sea close to Makran coast was depriving local fishermen of opportunities to earn their livelihood.
Chief secretary Mathar Niaz Rana briefed the meeting on the Gwadar port and CPEC projects as well as the projects initiated with the collaboration of provincial and federal governments. He said these projects would be completed soon. He said the projects were launched for welfare of the people of the area and that the government was taking steps for development of the fisheries sector. The meeting was informed that immediate steps had been taken to solve the problem of drinking water shortage in Gwadar. Mr Rana said the provincial government was trying to bring improvement in other sectors by utilising all available resources.
He said the provincial government was aware of problems of the people and was making serious efforts for solving them. “We are launching various projects for resolving the issue of water shortage in Gwadar keeping in view the future requirements of the port city,” he said.
Additionally, the fishermen in Balochistan who are running their bread and butter through this occupation lament that they aren’t officially categorized as laborers. Being denied even this status, the fishermen are essentially deprived of the little few benefits that such official categorization may offer. It is natural, then, that one of the key demands of the fishermen along Makran coast is to be given the status of laborers.
Abdul Rahman Shahbeer
Turbat
