The lack of fisheries policy and strategy is depriving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of local and foreign investment, employment opportunities and foreign exchange. Talking to Business Recorder, Omar Hayat, an expert on fishery sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that the federal government with the support of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have prepared National Fisheries Policy and Strategy in 2007 and meetings regarding the policy were even held in the four provincial metropolises in this regard.
But, in wake of the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment it could not be implemented. The fisheries policy and strategy was comprised of not only of proposals for fisheries and marine fisheries for four provinces, but also of projects for the sector.
He said that though fisheries are also high potential sector, but due to lack of policy at provincial level, there is no direction for its development. "Without policy and direction, how any sector could be developed or its issues could be resolved amicably," questioned Omar Hayat, a former director fisheries Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
He went on to say that the formation of fisheries policy at provincial level in KP would develop aqua culture, which will attract no only local but also foreign investment to the province and generate employment opportunities. Similarly, the development of fisheries sector can also improve food security in the province.
The policy would also help increase the earnings of the investors and improve the performance of the Fisheries Department in the province. He said that the growth of trout fish in the province could prove a catalyst for the promotion of tourism.
Presently, the annual income of the province from trout fish is only Rs 30 million, but could be easily doubled in a short period of five years. The present production of trout fish is just 200 metric ton, whose estimated income is about Rs 20 million, but after the formation of formal policy and strategy, the production of trout fish could be easily taken into 1100 metric ton, whose income will be many folds higher.
Furthermore, the sector also has big export potential and the exporters are ready to export the whole productions at it has high demand across the world. The demand of the trout fish in local market is also over 6000 metric ton as compare to its production of only 200 metric ton.