Accord signed for protection of marine resources.

LAHORE -- The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), Ministry of Defence and WWF-Pakistan signed a framework of cooperation (FoC) at World Wide Fund for Nature's Lahore office on Monday to work together to control illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing; tackle illegal wildlife trade; address illegal or accidental discharge, dumping of waste and chemical or biological pollution and to implement rules and regulations in the marine protected areas.

Both parties also agreed to collaborate for research and development of innovative projects to address environmental risks and the impact of climate change and repair and restore critical components of the ocean system.

Speaking at the occasion, Rear Admiral Foad Amin Baig, director general of the PMSA, said, 'We are working on a unified goal, but in silos. Through this understanding, we hope to work in synergy to bridge the gap between regulatory policy and implementation'.

Hammad Naqi Khan, the director general WWF-Pakistan, said, 'Economic activity and unsustainable practices along the coast are damaging the ecosystem and diminishing our fishing resources...