ISLAMABAD: Fish and fish products earned over $ 52 million in 2013-14, more than the amount earned in the fiscal year 2012-13, according to official documents available with Customs Today. Japan, USA, UK, Germany, Middle East and other countries remained major importers of Pakistani fish and fishery products.
With a coastline of about 814 km, Pakistan has enough fishery resources that remain to be developed and fishery and fishing industry plays a significant part in the national economy because most of the population of the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan depends on fisheries for livelihood. It is also a major source of export earnings. Pakistan has many marine and inland fishery resources. The potential was estimated at 1 million tonnes per year from the marine sub sector alone. According to official documents of the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), available with this scribe, Pakistani exports of fish and fish products have increased during 2013-14 as compared to 2012-13 both in quantity and value: In 2012-13 the exports of fish and fish products remained 1,38,680 million metric ton and their value was $ 317.65 while this exports increased in the fiscal year 2013-14 to the volume of 1,50,498 metric ton with price of $369.46.
Thus exports of fish and fish products earned over $ 52 million in 2013-14 more than the amount earned in the fiscal year 2012-13. “Hence, export of fish and its products increased in FY 2013-14 instead of decreasing when compared with FY 2012-13,” the documents revealed. It is pertinent to mention that the Government has taken a number of steps to improve fisheries sector, which, inter-alia, include strengthening of extension services, introduction of aquaculture techniques, diversification of fishing efforts, improvement in post-harvest techniques, development of value added products, and up-gradation of socio-economic condition of the fishermen’s community. Moreover, it is quite interesting to note here that commercially important resources include near 250 demersal fish species, 50 small pelagic fish species, 15 medium-sized pelagic species and 20 large pelagic fish species. In addition, there are also 15 commercial species of shrimp, 12 of cephalopods and 5 of lobster.
