Terence James, International Expert in Facility Design, in his report issued recently about the Karachi Fish Harbour said if no action was taken, it likely would result in suspension of the EU export licence.
"The existing harbour is badly congested, there is no access to existing 'floating pontoons' and is lacking viable control system. The activities occurring at the Karachi Fish Harbour and market hall are short of the world industry standard and that required to meet European Union standards for fish handling," the report added.
"The existing facilities with the exception of the recently completed EU Corridor auction hall K-1, are in a poor state of repair, suffering badly from lack of maintenance. It is unlikely to be able to support any growth and should be viewed as a constraint on the development," it said.
The report, with title of "Trade related technical assistance facilities design" further said that the deterioration of the facilities and the more onerous standards demanded by the EU and internationally, had resulted in the current facility being incapable of meeting the required standard overall. This is resulting in expenditure, in a piecemeal fashion, to try and meet EU export standards.
It said there are no effective 'Traceability' systems in place, which are increasingly demanded internationally. Conditions of hygiene and handling on the vessels are inadequate. Failure to react to this change will result in continued expenditure and disruption trying to comply with EU standards in a piece meal approach, which will be both practically and commercially inefficient.
The report said the harbour was badly congested with vessels often two or more deep waiting to land. Fishermen are manhandling catches across other moored vessels as there is insufficient room on the quayside.
Vessels are landed by hand in a method, which is unacceptable regarding compliance with the EU standards. It is also inefficient, adding to the delays in landing and exposes the catch to contamination spoilage. Vessels should load their catch into approved containers, which can be lifted mechanically from the vessels. There is no effective control system adding to the inefficient landing and congestion.
STUDY FINDINGS:
-Karachi Fisheries Harbour Handling Facilities: These are badly out of date, inefficient, unhygienic and incapable of meeting international or EU standards in their present form. Significant investment is required, both in rehabilitation of existing and new facilities.
-KFH Vessel Provision, Landing and Control: A confused, inefficient, often chaotic state exists leading to capacity restrictions, poor handling and spoilage of product, which in turn results in lower revenue for poor quality product and higher quantities of trash.
-Maintenance and Repair/Upgrade Provision: The current situation results in part, to the lack of adequate financial recourses to maintain and upgrade the harbour and its facilities.
The report said the harbour's overall position was likely to result demanded with consequences to the local society of job loss. Consequences to the commercial supply infrastructure and allied processing industries in declining business and job loss, and a decline of the local economy. In addition the government will loose foreign exchange earnings.
The report said that significant changes had been taken place in the international market in the past 10 years and changes would continue to occur in the future. EU legislation and the international expectation of best practice and traceability would result in uneconomic development and be inferior to a properly conceived plan.