Pakistan, a country in excess of $230 million seafood exports, has surprisingly started importing fish on a larger scale on an account of diminishing seafood stocks. Pangashius, a salt-water fish has started reaching the local markets with its canned fillets for its low price ranging between Rs 260 and Rs 290 per kilogram (kg) said seafood importers on Wednesday.
The country imported the specie for the first time from Vietnam and Thailand. "About 1,200 tons of canned fillets of Pangashius have been imported during the last five months," DG Marine Fisheries Department [MFD] Moazam Khan said.
Rahu, a fresh water fish, has already hit the local market, which is imported from Myanmar also in large quantity. "The country had imported 400 tons of [whole] Rahu fish last fishing season, while until now its import has reached 500 tons," he added.
The price of Rahu [whole] is between Rs 110 and Rs 120 per kg and is easily available in major department stores of the country, said importers, adding that its market share is also noticeably on the rise. "The rise in the import of fish is having an adverse impact on the country''s aqua culture, as the local production of fresh water fish is intact against its diminishing demand for the low-priced Pangashius and Rohu," said fish farmers. Last year, they said, Afghanistan imported some 300 tons of fresh water fish, which largely helped protract the farmers from financial collapse.
The reason behind the popularity of Pangashius fillets and Rahu is said to be their low prices, even lower than that of poultry, besides the rising prices of beef and mutton in the country. Mutton is sold in the markets a t a price range of Rs 220 to Rs 240 per kg, while beef is being sold at prices ranging from Rs 380 to Rs 400 per kg.
"Even the price of ordinary local fish is higher than these imported species," said the importer, adding that no high quality specie is available at less than Rs 400 per kg. "White pomphret is available at Rs 1700 per kg, Indian Mackerel at Rs 700 to Rs 800 per kg and Croaker [big] for Rs 1000 per kg," he said.
Officials in the fisheries sector said, "under the World Trade Organisation regime no country can stop the flow of goods," adding that fish import is likely to rise with the passage of time.
The illegally set net traps 60 percent of the inedible fish and shrimp every day, which not only reduces the volume of catch but also threatens species to extinction in the country''s limits of seawater. "These illegal net traps should be stopped from use, or be prepared for the "nature''s revenge" of a complete elimination of marine animals from the country''s waters,''" they said.
The country''s seafood production peaked in 1993 with 499,159 metric tons, which in later years went down to 474,665 metric tons in 1999. After a decade in 2008, the seafood production significantly declined to 344,684 metric tons, according to statistics of MFD.
In 1947, Pakistan''s seafood production was 32,893 metric tons, which increased to 49,525 metric tons in 1957. The seafood catch rose to 116,656 metric tons in 1967, which continued to rise to 234,816 metric tons in 1977. Seafood landing surged to 336,129 metric tons in 1987, while in 1997 it reached 422,201 metric tons.
Excessive fishing is also linked to the decline in seafood stocks during the last decade, which is also alarming for the years to come. MFD is carrying out a marine stocks survey in the country''s seawaters to assess the level of exciting marine species. However, officials term the overall situation perilous. There are about 150 different fish species in the country''s water.
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