Disclaimer note - WWF - Pakistan

Detailed Ecological Assessment Report 2008 – Keenjhar Lake
advances, and the rest is split up amongst the crew (who divide it up amongst
themselves on a separate share system) and the boat owner. If the boat owner is
the mole himself then he takes the share destined for the boat owner. A powerful
mole may own several boats himself, and also have several other fishing directly
to him, bonded by debt to allow him to do the auctioning, so that he can regain
the debt owed.
There are various ways the moles can enrich themselves beyond that which is
generally considered “fair”. These include:
• Selling supplies to the vessel operators at inflated prices, or selling
substandard supplies at normal prices, through their system of
advancing loans in kind to finance trips;
• Their 50% share of the 6.25% auction fee;
• Under weighing the catch, because no trusted weighing system is
currently enforced at the auction. Much fish is sold by heap or
basket;
• Adjusting the auction price, since they do the auctioning. Either in
collusion in the buyers, to obtain low prices at auction which are e up
later out of sight of the public auction, or though condemning fish for
fish meal which is subsequently sold for human consumption;
• Their portion of the catch that goes to pay back the loan of supplies,
fuel and ice for the last trip – often valued at more than it cost with a
percentage addition for interest;
• If they own the boat, through the proportion that goes to the owner;
• Personal loans to fishermen working on the boats (not related to the
fishing operation).
Overall there is no realistic system to replace the moles. They provide an efficient
loan service to fishermen, quickly, without lengthy paperwork, where no
alternative exists. The situation is accepted by fishermen and administrators
alike. The Karachi moles’ pervasive influences control major commercial fishing
in the Karachi area and their influence even extends to some areas of Badin and
Thatta. No development affecting their interests is likely to succeed unless the
senior moles approve of it. They must be consulted, and their support
guaranteed, before inputs changing the structure of the fishery are applied. If they
do not approve an intervention then so many impediments will be created that the
intervention is likely to fail. They are powerful men. They are also politically active
at high levels. Any suggested inputs by the SRCCDP will have to allow for this.
3.5.8.5 Middlemen
Other middle men called “bayparis” operate generally throughout the landing
areas. They do not generally own boats in their own right. They lend
money/materials to private vessel owners who are bound by the debt to land their
fish to them. They also buy fish from independent operators. They operate
throughout Badin & Thatta and in the lesser landing sites round Karachi.
Middlemen deliver ice, ice boxes, gear repair materials and fuel, as well as fresh
water to some of the remoter areas. The cost of this is set against the catches of
the vessels with which they are associated. Middlemen generally use (4 wheel
drive) pick up trucks for valuable fish and prawns and hire in labor and 10 tonne
trucks to load and carry bulky produce such as dried pelagics destined for
fishmeal. Middlemen also provide loans for personal use, such as for weddings,
funerals, large purchases, in times of hardship such as when the shrimp fishery is
WWF Pakistan – Indus for All Programme Page 82 of 188