The global fisherfolk communities are marking the World Fisheries Day on Sunday (today) for improved fishing conditions, but Pakistani fishermen are looking for a permanent solution to India-Pakistan navigational border of Sir Creek. Almost 90 fishermen are still in Indian jails on charges of crossing the disputed sea border with over 100 confiscated boats.
Whereas, Pakistan has so far jailed around 125 Indian seafarers and seized 300 vessels, according to Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF). Poor fishermen of the neighbouring nations undergo the ordeal of arrests by officials of each other countries since 1965, as many believe the issue is deliberately kept unresolved for some political reasons, which should now come to an end. Many fishermen of various countries are in jails for many years on single charge of violation of border, which always keeps their families back home in agony until they return.
The seafarer communities of both countries continue raising their demands to their respective government to demarcate the water border for once and all so that they could fearlessly exploit the sea within their respective territorial limits.
Similarly, Pakistani fishermen also complain about inhuman economic restrictions at home as well under the un-abolished contract system in Sindh's 1,209 lakes around Indus River. Around 0.5 million fishermen under the contractual system primarily controlled by the landlords do not allow them to independently fish to earn livelihood, instead, they have to do the job for their respective masters.
Many fishermen also become victims of powerful landlords for defying their rules established by setting aside the state's law. Fishermen are forced to languish in private jails of landlords and get victimised under the lord's law.
The contractual system was termed as slavery and fishermen continue to protest against the legislators who until now could not abrogate the system through a law. According to PFF, fishermen have struggled to break the illegal control of a law enforcing agency over 22 lakes for the last 32 years, which will continues until the other inland water bodies are freed.
PFF criticises the PPP-led government for not still tabling the amended bill of fisheries ordinance 1980 in Sindh Assembly, despite announcement and said, "the government has not given due rights to fishermen". The other issues include use of lethal fishing meshes, destruction of Indus Delta, lack of primary facilities at fishermen communities, lack of fisheries policy, marine pollution, cut in seafood prices, etc, are still unresolved.
On World Fisheries Day, fishermen communities globally stage rallies, demonstration and hold seminars, workshops, music shows and cultural programmes to highlight their problems. The day is celebrated every year on November 21. Over two-thirds of the world's fisheries have been overfished or are fully harvested, whereas, more than one third are in a state of decline due to loss of essential fish habitats, pollution, and global warming, United Nations recent study reveals.
According to PFF, the country's 70 percent fisheries have declined for use of illegal thin size meshes and unrestricted big trawling, sweeping the seabed completely and killing the undersized marine animals.
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