Faiza Tehseen

Pakistan needs a well-developed fisheries sector to introduce new and develop conventional and nonconventional aqua farming practices, i.e., polyculture, cage culture, rearing of edible and nonedible marine/freshwater species, e.g., seaweed, pearl culture, etc.

Talking to WealthPK about the awareness, importance, promotion, value addition, and marketing of profit-oriented marine products, Director General Fisheries Department, Punjab Dr. Sikandar Hayat said, “When we compare our aquaculture sector to that of other countries, such as China, we must consider that their industry has been in operation for centuries, whereas ours is only 35 years old. Actually, we were dependent and focused mostly on the natural water fisheries.

Previously, the main focus was on freshwater fisheries in those provinces where there was no coastal belt e.g., a great area of Punjab is saline, i.e., the south belt in total. Owing to salinity, the cultured species were not giving the proper results. It was due to this reason that fish farming could not be popularized. But now the situation has entirely changed. To cope with this issue, a few new species well tolerant to salinity are imported, i.e., Tilapia, and Pangasius.”

“To popularize Tilapia, it was imported in large numbers and after artificial breeding, it was provided to the farmer. Now, it is found in considerable numbers in the country. The other nonconventional but export-oriented commodities like shrimps, oysters, freshwater muscles, etc. can be worked out if relevant technology is transferred, but concerning shrimps, many positive strategies are adopted. Freshwater mussels of good size are abundantly available in Chashma on the Indus. After floods when the water level decreased, there was a bed of muscles, but then large-scale mortality happened.

Lack of expertise and value addition deprive us of such valuables. Right now, there is no technical or highly sophisticated plant in Punjab to export marine species for food. Small-scale plants are active in Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian (BRB), Bhalwal and Muzaffargarh for only cutting, descaling, blast freezing, storage, etc. But no major exporter is from Punjab. A few plants are also operating in Balochistan, while about 100 plants are working in Karachi.”

Continuing, he said the fisheries department encouraged the importers of edible sea species, , such as catfish, Clarus eye, Tilapia, Red pomfret, sea bass, Pangasius, etc. He also emphasized that profit-oriented non-edible/edible sea species, like pearl-bearing shellfish or seaweed, are unconventional in the country but have potential for growth in suitable water ecology.

The Punjab Fisheries Department director general said the availability of expertise and technology played a vital role in developing any sector. “To increase seafood consumption at the domestic level, a good marketing campaign is badly needed, like in the case of poultry products. Now, provision of expertise, seed, feed, and other related components must be focused to produce indigenously.

Less cost input will enhance the market scope as it is in other countries. The current devaluation of rupee has barred the regulation of letters of credit (LCs) which has damaged imports to a great extent. Feed or raw material to produce it for aquatic species is mostly imported. Owing to this factor, the fish feed that was earlier available at PKR50 per kg is now available at PKR60-80 per kg.

This type of input fluctuation causes uncertainty and disturbs both production and marketing levels in the country. So, the farmers will decide to switch to other profit-oriented segments rather than fishing.” Sikandar said the provincial governments were not directly involved in the export matters, but rather the EPB was responsible for it and with its coordination, the provinces could operationalize the export matters.

 “A special Fisheries Development Board (FDP) has been set up at the federal level. Both the FDP and National Food Security Department (NFSD) regularly involve all provincial fisheries departments to get their suggestions for promotion of seafood culture and conventional and nonconventional aquaculture, etc. The uplift of the fisheries department will create more job opportunities and increase the GDP and generate profit at home and abroad,” Sikandar added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk