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Disclaimer note - WWF - Pakistan

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Detailed Ecological Assessment Report 2008 – Keenjhar Lake<br />

3.5.8 Notes on the marine fishing policy<br />

3.5.8.1 Deep sea Trawlers<br />

In 1995 Govt. of <strong>Pakistan</strong> announced a deep sea fishing policy. Under this policy<br />

licenses for deep sea fishing are issued to deep sea trawlers of the international<br />

companies.<br />

• The deep sea trawlers in the process of fishing catch a large number<br />

of unwanted fish and then throw it in the sea. This practice pollutes<br />

the sea water and the live fish leaves that area.<br />

• These trawlers mostly use indiscriminate gear to have a maximum<br />

catch but only keeps that fish which generates lot of money. The<br />

official figure confirms that these trawlers discarded 332,000 m tons<br />

of fish during few years which resulted in a loss of 8 billion US$ to<br />

the country on one hand while on the other hand greatly polluted the<br />

water in the coastal areas.<br />

• These trawlers are supposed to fish in EEZ some 32 km from the<br />

shore. They often violate the boundaries and practice fishing inside<br />

35 km area and even close to creeks. Consequently, they not only<br />

deprive the fishermen from their livelihood but also damage their<br />

boats and nets.<br />

• Being fully computerized and mechanized, these trawlers continue<br />

fishing un-abated and catch millions of tons of fish day and night.<br />

This over-fishing practice results in depletion of stocks of various fish<br />

species.<br />

3.5.8.2 Exploitation of fishermen<br />

There are many forms of exploitation of the fishermen. One way of wielding<br />

influence on the local fishermen is to trap them by providing them loans. Due to<br />

non-availability of formal credit systems, the fisherfolk communities rely only on<br />

non-institutional/informal credit system. The existing informal system of providing<br />

loans to fishermen is extremely exploitative. Details of these middlemen and the<br />

way they exploit the fisherfolk is as below.<br />

3.5.8.3 Fishing boat owners<br />

Boat owners own boats (usually trawlers) and operate them as a business, just<br />

as any other business. Trawlers usually target prawns, which is the main fisheries<br />

export commodity. The owners usually have other significant business interests<br />

outside the fishing industry. The skippers and crew of the vessels are hired<br />

persons.<br />

3.5.8.4 Moles (Moleholders).<br />

These are businessmen who lend money to private vessel owners and reclaim<br />

the debt from the proceeds of the sale of the catch. A fisherman wishing to go out<br />

to sea will seek an advance from a moleholder, who will provide what is required<br />

(but not in cash, the fisherman will usually receive a written chit to the fisherman<br />

who has to get his supplies from a supplier in league with or even owned by the<br />

moleholder). On return from fishing the catch is auctioned by the moles in Fish<br />

Market and from the proceeds is deducted commission 6.25% of the value which<br />

is split up 50/50 between the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) and the<br />

Moles who get 50% auctioneers commission. From the proceeds of the auction<br />

after deduction of the 6.25% commission the moles deduct their pre trip<br />

<strong>WWF</strong> <strong>Pakistan</strong> – Indus for All Programme Page 81 of 188

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