Illegal fishing is one of the most significant problems. that affects the entire coastal belt of Balochistan, including Gwadar . as well as the rest of the region. Those who have relied for many years on the Gwadar Fishermen economy. and the ocean as their primary source of food have had a far more difficult time of it because of illegal fishing. This encompasses virtually the entire population of coastal areas. It is essential to have a firm grasp on the nature of illegal fishing. if one is to achieve improved results in this setting.
Violation of the fisheries laws:
According to the World Ocean Review, it is a violation of the fisheries laws. and regulations of a state when foreign vessels enter a certain jurisdiction without. the appropriate legal permission and target high-value species. that Gwadar Fishermen prohibited to fished. This type of activity constitutes illegal fishing. these boats will drag illegal wire nets over the ocean floor behind. their vessels in order to capture anything that swims into their path. This practice is illegal. They are consequently left with enormous quantities of bycatch. the vast majority of which. they release back into the ocean (or sell to local factories in extremely low prices). Then, if they report their catches at all (which many don’t)
Illegal fishermen:
This method is extremely profitable for illegal fishermen and others. who involved; however. it has a dramatic negative impact on fish stocks because it leads to overfishing. and the destruction of marine habitats, corals, seagrass, and seaweeds. which in turn has an effect on the marine ecosystem as a whole. The year 2014 was the last time any data of this kind made public. which I discovered. when I was looking for information regarding yearly provincial fishery catches in Balochistan. The most recent revision, which comprised of data from 2013-2014. demonstrated a decrease of 7 percent.
Small fishing boats:
In order to combat the issue, a number of nations, including Pakistan, have enacted laws. and joined international treaties; yet, according to Interpol. illegal fishing is the fourth-ranked criminal activity. These enormous vessels will intentionally. go so close to our small fishing boats on occasion. and this causes us to concerned that they may cause us harm. of fishermen. Illegal fishing has a long tradition along these coastal waters. and the contentiousness of the problem has only increased with the passage of time. “We are not sure who owns the trawlers. that come from Sindh and sometimes worldwide. but one thing we know is that they are a very powerful mafia with Did you enjoy this article? Simply click this link to register for full access. Only $5 per month.
Powerful pastoralists:
Most of the fishermen, activists. and BFB staff I spoke with asked to keep their identities confidential. because they feared for their lives as a result of the uncertainty. and fear of their powerful pastoralists, the paddy field. Illegal fishing is part of the daily life of those. who fish and who participate indirectly in the fishing economy. But anyone who has ever called this place home knows the problem. As a child, I first learned the term “trawling” in a home-produced short film in 2003. The fishing village was the main focus of the film’s socio-economic background, though. the film’s plot focused on the conflict that took place in the couple’s home.
Country’s exclusive economic:
However, upon further investigation. I found that the root cause of the problem dates back to the 60’s, or possibly even earlier. It first came to public attention in the 1970s as part of the Balochistan Fisheries Act 1971. The ordinance amended several times over the ensuing decades. Fishing with wire nets and trawls prohibited. by law, particularly within waters within 12 nautical miles of the coast. The Federal Government of Pakistan has jurisdiction over Zone 3 of Pakistani waters. which extend from 20 to 200 nautical miles. and define the extent of the country’s exclusive economic. The Pakistan Sea divided into three regions. Sindh and Balochis tan have jurisdiction over an area extending up to 12 nautical miles.
A buffer zone:
From the coast (Zone 1), with an area between 12 and 20 nautical miles designated as a buffer zone. For Trawler Mafia it doesn’t matter how many nautical miles you travel. They hunt anytime, anywhere and even whatever they like. They are always armed. A fisherman from Gwadar explained, “After they noticed them. they shouted loudly in protest of their activity, and when our boat approached. they started shooting, and they started shooting.” Having witnessed this and hearing [similar experiences]. from other fishermen, we find ourselves silent whenever
Implementation:
They own the ocean. We are helpless, as are the government and the Fisheries Agency, and they both let us down. The Fisheries Act, like many other international treaties. and domestic laws, has never been fully implemented. and this lack of implementation has encouraged Gwadar People. to engage in illegal fishing over the years. we see them. no matter how far away or how close they are, stealing our fishing nets worth thousands of rupees. as well as the giant wire nets used to drag everything to the bottom of the sea. They lie about the kinds of species they caught and the quantity of fish they brought in.
