The Sindh Fisheries Department (SFD) has no funds to compensate the owners of cyclone-stricken boats in the province; however, Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) is modifying fishing vessels in line with the European Union's (EU) specifications, officials said on Saturday.
The officials of the department are also taking measures to improve the fishing standards of the rural/river bound folks and in this regard the contract system in fresh waters was abolished in 2007-08 to free the fishermen to catch for themselves instead of working for a contractor at low-wages on daily basis.
No contract had been awarded in 2011, because of the abolishment of contract system, officials said, adding that on the contrary the department is also issuing licenses to the interested persons to found fish farms. They said the farms are being established in those areas where crops cultivation for soil seepages could not be done.
They said the fishermen endeavouring for catch at sea would also need to obtain permits for going deep-waters. Such licenses are granted by the government to the fishermen under the section-III of formerly Sindh Fisheries Ordinance 1980 which is now called Sindh Fisheries Act 2003, they said.
They said the fishing permits for sea-going fishermen, the KFHA is issuing under Control and Management Regulation. However, for the fishermen of fresh water, the licenses are issued on individual basis and contractors are strictly disallowed to hire anyone for fishing, they said.
The officials said there 2,634 fish farms in various districts of the province including 462 in Thatta, 430 in Shikarpur, 249 in Qamber, 246 in Badin, 201 in Larkana, 178 in Kashmore, 136 in Sukkur, 105 in Khairpur, 95 in Ghotki, 90 in Nausherhro Feroze, 70 in Sanghar, 58 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 40 in Tando Muhammad Khan, 42 in Jacobabad, 23 in Matiari, 17 in Hyderabad, 14 in Jamshoro, 13 in Tando Allahyar, 5 in Mirpurkhas, and 2 in Omerkot. Tharparkar district has no such farms, they said.
They said "10 pilot projects are being established for farming of shrimps and crabs under the Sindh Coastal Community Development Project," in Gharo. They said further 20 ponds under the same scheme would be initiated-10 each in Shah Bunder and Badin.
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