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Illegal fishing: foreign trawlers deprive country of $100 m annually

KARACHI: Foreign fishing trawlers have been depriving Pakistan 80 to 100 million dollars every year through illegal pounching, fishing sources said.

They said these trawlers do illegal fishing as they pounch within 35 nautical miles area which is specifically allocated for local fishermen.

Under the Exclusive Fishery Zone Act 1975, foreign vessels are allowed trawling outside 35 nautical miles from coastal line.

President Trawlers Owners Group Tahir Dada while demanding of the government to impose ban on the issuance of fishing licence to foreign trawlers said that these trawlers have been causing huge losses to local fishermen.

He said each local fishing boat has been suffering a loss of Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000 per trip and the fisheries industry is at the brink of collapse.

"Why one million people attached to fisheries industry suffer due to couple of dozens of officials who allegedly take bribe from foreign trawlers?" Dada said.

He said there should be no foreign trawlers allowed within Pakistani territorial waters.

The Maritime Security Agency (MSA) has several time caught these trawlers within 35 nautical miles and Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) imposed penalties on them for illegal fishing.

According to statistics of penalties by MFD, the incidents of violations by foreign trawlers are rising up from two in 1996 to 150 during1999.

The amount of penalty also rose from Rs 0.4 million to Rs 50 million in 1999.

Each trawler has to deposit Rs 5 million for obtaining licence, Rs 5 million as royalty and 6,000 dollars for 2 months trip.

Fishing sources said that these trawlers allegedly pay Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 as bribe to get licence. In addition they allegedly bribe officials of almost every related department.

They alleged that foreign trawlers earn more than 100 million dollars annually and show only 3 to 4 million dollars as export through State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

According to the conditions of letter of intent (LoI) needed for operation by foreign fishing trawlers, the fish catch has to be landed or exported from Korangi Fish Harbour from the same vessel or through container vessel after getting permission from the government agencies concerned.

In addition, the total value of the sale proceeds of the exported seafood by Pakistani firm should be repatriated to Pakistan in foreign exchange.

One of the directors at FCS boards said that one trawler has to catch more than 4 tonnes of fish for its survival. They catch at least four times higher of this limit, he added.

He alleged that these trawlers bring in only a small catch to Korangi fish harbour and transfer most of their catch through other crafts for onward exports without the knowledge of Pakistan.

Local fishermen have been complaining of low catch and have urged Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) for taking steps to stop illegal fishing by foreign trawlers.

An official of Maritime Security Agency (MSA) said that it was very difficult to keep eyes all the time on movement of these trawlers as they preferably move during mid-nights in deep water where MSA cannot reach due to rough sea. APP