KARACHI: The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) on Sunday criticised the the fisheries department for inviting the country`s deep-sea trawler companies for issuance of fishing licences.
In a statement issued here, PFF chairperson Mohammed Ali Shah decried the government approach to exploit the marine resources, which he said were already declining fast due to overfishing by big trawling vessels using harmful nets and increasing marine pollution.He said more than 70 per cent fish catch had declined, forcing fish workers to stay idle at home and several families had lost their traditional source of income.
According to a recent government advertisement, the deep sea trawlers would be allowed to operate within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan and the government would offer 100 licences to the trawlers in different category, depending on their capacity of catch.
The statement said the fishermen and boat owners from Sindh and Balochistan were accusing each other of affecting their resources.
