Sindh, Balochistan fishermen

Sindh, Balochistan fishermen
A two-day joint meeting between the Sindh and Balochistan government officials and the representatives of the fishing community will discuss fishing-related issues to settle the prolonged controversy over the use of seawaters. Federal ministry officials, provincial fisheries ministers, secretaries and officials leading the marine and inland water departments and community organisations will attend the consultative meeting being held in Karachi on February 12 and 13. On the first day there will be a close session in which federal and provincial government officials and community leaders will discuss the policy and design recommendations, while on February 13, there will be an open session in which 500 delegates, mostly government officials, community leadership and civil society representatives from both the provinces will participate. Balochistan Maheegir Network (BMT), Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) and Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum are organising the meeting. SPO Regional Manager Ellehi Bakhsh told The News that they have designed a comprehensive fisheries policy, focusing the livelihood issues and threats the community people are facing which would be discussed in the meeting. He claims that they have invited Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, which also deals with the matters of fishing sector, with provincial fisheries ministers and heads of relevant departments to resolve the issues.Besides, the controversy between fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan coastal areas, issuing licenses to deep sea trawlers, use of harmful nets, increasing marine pollution, replacing contracts with issuing licenses to the bona fide fishermen residing at inland waters, rivers and canals and the community development will be discussed in the meeting. It is for the first time that a meeting jointly with presence of government and community stakeholders will discuss the important issues. Earlier, the government had introduced the Fisheries Policy, which the community people opposed widely, accusing it of ignoring their rights.