An Iranian ship, MV Firdous I is arriving in Karachi on Friday to carry out 'stock assessment' of Pakistani coastal areas and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) so as to ascertain the presence of seafood and to find out new fishing grounds. The Director General, Marine Fisheries Department (MFD), Moazzam Khan stated on Thursday.
He said the assessment is being carried out at a cost of Rs 485 million being allocated by the federal government, after a continued effort of last ten years. He said that the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and Norwegian government are also assisting Pakistan in this regard.
Norway is providing six million krona for the project and this is for training of MFD staff in stock assessment, he added. Khan further pointed out that the project has been materialised due to personal efforts of federal Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development, Humayun Aziz Turk, who has secured the financial allocation for this venture. The MFD DG said that the assessment survey will be of one month and would continue till May 28.
In the first phase, the assessment will be done through trawling using latest technology, he said and pointed out that acoustic survey will be conducted in the second and third phase in the mid waters and deep sea. He said that the National Institute of Oceanography will be involved in this survey and its staff will also be trained in stock assessment.
It may be noted that Pakistan has 250,000 square kilometres of EEZ and about 1100 kilometres coastal line, which is full of fish, shrimps and other seafood. Further, Khan said that the assessment is very crucial and will greatly help the country's fisheries sector to enhance the catch and increase income of fishermen and augment exports earning.