The Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) on Tuesday confirmed that thousands of fish that were washed ashore the other day were killed by industrial toxics. In its investigation report, the KFHA says that marine species perish at least twice a year due to contamination of sea by industrial waste.
According to WWF-Pakistan, industrial toxics killed around 35 metric tons of small sized mullet, sea bream and scate fish the other day. High tides pushed the dead fish species towards Karachi seaport, China Creek and Bhutta Village area of Keamari, it said. According to fisheries officials the industrial waste is discharged into Lyari River from where it pours into Karachi Fish Harbour's navigational channel and spills into sea. "The KMC is responsible to treat the hazardous industrial water, which Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (Site) releases into the Lyari River," the officials said.
WWF-Pakistan says that sewage and polluted water continue to contaminate Manora channel unchecked and unabated which poses a serious threat to marine life as well as residents of the locality. The WWF-Pakistan also questioned the role of Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) in eradicating marine pollution.
The KFHA report said: "Turbid water, mud, industrial and solid waste caused low level of dissolved oxygen in seawater which resulted in the death of these species." "The samples were of a good texture and no marking of wound or traces of oil were seen," the report says adding that "water flow from Lyari River and other connected channels come in bulk quantity, which bring huge quantity of domestic solid waste/soil etc".
Co-Principal Investigator, WWF-Pakistan, Khalid Mahmood, who surveyed the area, pointed out that mortality of the mullets, sea bream and scate fish had occurred around Baba Island and the dead fish were believed to be commercially important species.
Technical Advisor (Marine Fisheries), WWF-Pakistan, Muhammad Moazaam Khan, said the surfacing of dead fish was not the first incident of its kind. "On many occasions in the past, release of chemicals into sea resulted in mortality of mullets and other fishes," he added.
He said that all stakeholders should work together to protect marine life by eliminating industrial pollution. The DG MFD also asked the fish meal processing units to shun using dead fish species in manufacturing of meal products for they could result in deadly diseases.
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