Disclaimer note - WWF - Pakistan

Detailed Ecological Assessment Report 2008 – Keenjhar Lake
3.5.8 Notes on the marine fishing policy
3.5.8.1 Deep sea Trawlers
In 1995 Govt. of Pakistan announced a deep sea fishing policy. Under this policy
licenses for deep sea fishing are issued to deep sea trawlers of the international
companies.
• The deep sea trawlers in the process of fishing catch a large number
of unwanted fish and then throw it in the sea. This practice pollutes
the sea water and the live fish leaves that area.
• These trawlers mostly use indiscriminate gear to have a maximum
catch but only keeps that fish which generates lot of money. The
official figure confirms that these trawlers discarded 332,000 m tons
of fish during few years which resulted in a loss of 8 billion US$ to
the country on one hand while on the other hand greatly polluted the
water in the coastal areas.
• These trawlers are supposed to fish in EEZ some 32 km from the
shore. They often violate the boundaries and practice fishing inside
35 km area and even close to creeks. Consequently, they not only
deprive the fishermen from their livelihood but also damage their
boats and nets.
• Being fully computerized and mechanized, these trawlers continue
fishing un-abated and catch millions of tons of fish day and night.
This over-fishing practice results in depletion of stocks of various fish
species.
3.5.8.2 Exploitation of fishermen
There are many forms of exploitation of the fishermen. One way of wielding
influence on the local fishermen is to trap them by providing them loans. Due to
non-availability of formal credit systems, the fisherfolk communities rely only on
non-institutional/informal credit system. The existing informal system of providing
loans to fishermen is extremely exploitative. Details of these middlemen and the
way they exploit the fisherfolk is as below.
3.5.8.3 Fishing boat owners
Boat owners own boats (usually trawlers) and operate them as a business, just
as any other business. Trawlers usually target prawns, which is the main fisheries
export commodity. The owners usually have other significant business interests
outside the fishing industry. The skippers and crew of the vessels are hired
persons.
3.5.8.4 Moles (Moleholders).
These are businessmen who lend money to private vessel owners and reclaim
the debt from the proceeds of the sale of the catch. A fisherman wishing to go out
to sea will seek an advance from a moleholder, who will provide what is required
(but not in cash, the fisherman will usually receive a written chit to the fisherman
who has to get his supplies from a supplier in league with or even owned by the
moleholder). On return from fishing the catch is auctioned by the moles in Fish
Market and from the proceeds is deducted commission 6.25% of the value which
is split up 50/50 between the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) and the
Moles who get 50% auctioneers commission. From the proceeds of the auction
after deduction of the 6.25% commission the moles deduct their pre trip
WWF Pakistan – Indus for All Programme Page 81 of 188