The Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA), despite hard efforts, has failed to fully implement the hygienic plan prescribed by the EU because the boats owners are reluctant to follow the plan, Authority officials said on Friday. The KFHA had initiated EU''s specified rules and codes to ensure seafood hygiene as its primary condition to re-enlist the country''s exporting seafood processing plants with it.
The EU conditions aim to remove ban from Pakistan''s seafood exports. The officials said that the boat owners are reluctant to use the plastic crates, which KFHA provided to them without any charges for fitting these crates in their boats'' holds for storing fish and other seafood during fishing. But many of them are afraid of their loss or think that they will ultimately pay for them after using them. The cost of a plastic crate is Rs 2800.
"The KFHA is still making efforts to fully implement the EU specifications at the fish harbour in which the Authority has succeeded 30 percent, and hopefully it would be able to convince the boat owners to be part of the whole plan," they said.
However, the Authority is not allowing landing the seafood on ground, and boat owners and fishermen are strictly directed to carry it inside the auction hall, and around 95 percent of landing is now taking place inside the halls, they said. The officials said that although the Authority was anticipating stern resistance from some anti-fishermen circles, it is smoothly enforcing the plan, which is taking place in a right direction.
Whereas the President of ''Bona fide Fishermen and Boat Owners Welfare Association'', Asif Bhatti, said that the KFHA had never provided such objects to the deserving fishermen, and demanded that the government should hold an inquiry in this connection. He said that the Authority has offered fishermen these crates on rent, while they are demanding them without charges.
He alleged that the Authority has always held talks with non-bona fide fishermen, which hit the interest of genuine fishermen whose primary sources of income is fishing. KFHA initiated applying EU standards to K-II auction hall in the first phase from November 14 this year with a plan to expand it to other auction halls including K-I, and K-III in the second phase.
It may be mentioned here that there has been disagreement in the past over the cost of fishing crates and insulated boxes between the KFHA and local fishermen. The former remained unchanged that these objects will given to the later on half of its total price whereas the later insisted on its free of cost acquisition.