Disclaimer note - WWF - Pakistan

Detailed Ecological Assessment Report 2008 – Keenjhar Lake
a small number of Sailfish Istiophorous platypterus and Black marlin Makaira
indica Hussain et al, 2007.
The Chinese and Vietnamese factory fishing vessels operate with long lines off
shore beyond 35 nautical miles from the coast with depth exceeding 500 meters
the gear depth is normally 100 meters. The catches showed the distribution of
Tuna from 22 0 47’ N 63000’ E .to 24 0 37 N 66 0 56 ‘E higher catches were mostly
from 24 0 30 ’ N 65 0 42 ’ E. during November 2005. (Hussain et al., 2007)
Yellow fin Tuna was abundant during NE monsoon (November – March) while no
catches were observed during the first and second transitional periods (April and
October) (Ali-khan, 1972 /1977). During the SW monsoon May – September the
tuna catches were low. A similar picture is apparent from the catch and number
composition of Sharks, Marlin, Sail fish and Dolphin Sharks. The highest catches
in number are during the NE monsoon while are very low number in the other
seasons. Dolphins are however only caught in the SW monsoon. The occurrence
of tuna and other species from the catch analysis (Hussain et al., 2007) shows
that highest number and highest biomass of sharks (number 27 & 56 biomass
kg1350 - 1456) were caught in areas where depth ranged from 825 – 1630
meters. Marlins were caught (no. 20 and 13 and biomass kg 1495 – 1204) at
depth 100 – 475 meters and 1980 – 2355 meters. Sail fish 12 in number with
biomass 220 kg were caught in areas at depths of 1228 – 1803 meters. Only 7
Dolphins were caught from 100 -475 meter depths. Highest number of Tuna (no.
2265) with biomass 79840 Kg was caught from areas where depth was 100- 476
meters. In areas where depth exceeded from 475 meters tuna were caught in
less number Hussain et al., 2007.
3.5.8.9 Fishing fleet
Sharp increase of fishing efforts is shown in the Table 16. Specially sail boats in
the marine sector the sailboats have seen slight increase from more than five
thousand six hundred in 1993 to six thousand eight hundred in Sindh 2003 and
decrease is noted from 144 to only 25 in operation in Balochistan. Table 2 gives
number of sail boats from 1999 – 2006 in Sindh and Balochistan. Their number
was 6358 in 1999 which increased to 6809 in 2006 in Sindh.
The number of Mechanized cum sail driven boats during the year 1993 – 2003
has increased both in Sindh and Balochistan and like wise their number has
increased among inland fishing fleet .These fishing boats usually carry long line
for fishing in high seas. Table 16 gives detail number of mechanized boats in
Sindh and in Balochistan.
The number of gill-netters has increased from 1993 – 2003 in both the provinces.
A very significant increase of about 500 has been observed total number of
trawlers from 1993 – 2003.
Table 16 - Fishing crafts
Year/Province Sail Boats Trawlers Gill
Netters
WWF Pakistan – Indus for All Programme Page 85 of 188
Mech.
Sail
Boats
Year 1999
Sindh 6358 2564 2305 3755
Baluchistan 25 - 1295 4279
Year 2000
Sindh 6504 2570 2317 3923