Title front - Sindh Board Of Investment, Government Of Sindh

Major marine species of fish found in the costal belt of Sindh are as under:YellowbackSea BreamRed MulletP. Indicus(IndianWhite Shrimp)P.Merguiensis(BananaShrimp)P.Merguiensis (Banana Shrimp)GrunterSea BreamP. Monodon(Tiger Shrimp)Mud CrabWhitePomfretCroakerBlueSwimmerCrabJellyfishThe total annual production of fisheries is merely 0.7 million tons and valued at $300 million. The domesticconsumption of fisheries at 1.8 kg per capita in Pakistan is the lowest in the region while in the Far Eastthe per capita supply is 12-13kg. Marine capture fisheries account for about 400,000 m tons and 20%of it is exported. Shrimps constitute 60% of the total fisheries export in the country. The annual growthrate of fisheries in 2010-11 was 1.9%. Total annual export earnings from fisheries are only $200 millionthough there is an easily achievable potential for $ 1 billion of export earnings. The major exportdestinations are China, Thailand, Malaysia, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, and Japan. On the other hand,fisheries are one of the main sources of animal protein in the advanced world and, as such, the worldmarket for fisheries is over $95 billions.A number of initiatives are being taken by various organizations to enhance the quality and qualityfisheries production in Sindh. Competitiveness Support Fund, a project of USAID has conducted valuableresearch into the fisheries sector and has also published Sindh Fisheries and Aquaculture Strategy,2010-2013. In addition, a demonstration shrimp farm was established at Garho, district Thatta on AmbraCreek in the 1980s with the help of Asian Development Bank. The farm comprises 24 ponds of varioussizes. Government of Sindh has also established hatcheries at Hawsbay in Karachi and Chilya in Thattafor supply to seed to entrepreneur. National Institute of Oceanography provides seeds and consultancyservices for fish and shrimp farming on charge basis.Recently, an area of 20,000 acres has been earmarked along the coastal belt of Sindh in Thatta andBadin districts by the Livestock and Fisheries Department, Government of Sindh to grant land on long-termlease to prospective investors in fish and shrimp farming on attractive terms. Following are the identifiedsites from the earmarked area:Sindh - The Land of Endless Opportunities