Falling seafood exports; policy overhaul needed.

Byline: S. Kamal Hayder Kazmi

Researchers revealed that Pakistani fish exporters are getting relatively lower prices of their seafood exported because they exported 90 percent un-processed and frozen fish. Therefore, urgent attempts are required for operationalizing the fish processing plants in the country. Present statistics also showed that the country's seafood export declined to $438.021 million during FY2018-19 because of hasty enforcement of the federal government's deep sea policy that kept fishing suspended for about 3-month period.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Pakistan declined short by $12.286 million or 3 percent to keep up with the seafood export of $451.021 million FY2017-18. According to the Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association, Pakistan could have increased export by 30 percent, at least, but the clampdown on the hunting boats after the sudden implementation of fisheries policy without consultation with stakeholders. It is also said that the present Government of Pakistan without consulting with the stakeholders concerned implemented that resulted in a break of about 3-month of fishing, which brought down the country's seafood export to $438.021 million during FY2018-19.

Pakistan's export receipts By Fish and Fish Preparations (Thousand US $)

Pakistan's export receipts By Fish and Fish

Year###Value###$

##Year###Value

3-Dec###21,308###12-Dec###27,640

4-Dec###18,368###13-Dec###34,840

5-Dec###18,633###14-Dec###37,553

6-Dec###19,175###15-Dec###34,310

7-Dec###15,917###16-Dec###36,149

8-Dec###20,559###17-Dec###40,782

9-Dec###22,213###18-Dec###39,647

10-Dec###24,179

11-Dec###32,276###Jul-19 (P)###36,429

It is also said that Pakistan was progressing with seafood export growth by about 30 percent yearly, which the industry missed unluckily this time. Researchers revealed that in Pakistan the sustainable conservation of marine resources, promotion of shrimp culture, enhancing the fish processing for exports, provision of proper facilities at fish markets, fetching higher prices for exported seafood and formulation of sustainable fishing policy are ways forward for the sustainable development of seafood resources development.

In term of volume, the country's seafood export fell to 195,523 metric tons during July-June 2018-19 from 196,927 metric tons during July-June 2017-18, explaining a decline of 1 percent or 1404 metric tons. In June 2019, the country exported $32.168 million of seafood, which is higher by 19...