Fishing Industry Study Notes

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Candidates should be able to:

    • Describe the fishing methods used in both marine and inland waters, including fish farms.

    • Give examples of the fish caught in both marine and inland waters, and of the fish reared on fish farms.

    • Identify the fishing ports on both the Balochistan and Sindh coasts.

    • Describe the uses of the fish caught.

    • Explain improvements in fishing methods and processing techniques.

    • Understand the problems facing the fishing industry and evaluate the possibilities for its further development and sustainability.

FISH FOOD

  • Fish feed on planktons.

  • Planktons are minute plant and animal organisms that float in the sea or are deposited on the sea bed.

  • Carbon dioxide and oxygen dissolve in surface water due to sunlight from the atmosphere.

  • Phosphates, nitrates, and other plant nutrients are added to surface water by rivers, which together help the growth of planktons.

USES OF FISH

  • Fish waste is used to make fertilizer and poultry feed.

  • Low cholesterol diet option.

  • Provides essential nutrients including calcium, phosphorus, and iron.

  • Oil extracted from fish is a source of vitamin A & D.

IMPORTANCE OF FISHING INDUSTRY

  • Increases Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

  • Export of fish contributes to foreign exchange earnings.

  • Provides a source of income.

  • Offers direct and indirect employment.

  • Promotes growth of other industries, e.g., boat manufacturers.

  • Waste from fish is useful in the fertilizer industry.

  • Development of coastal areas facilitated by fishing activities.

  • Waterlogged and saline areas can be converted for fish farming.

MARINE FISHING

  • Carried out along the coastal waters of Sindh and Balochistan.

  • Sindh Coast accounts for 30% of the coastline, while the Makran Coast comprises 70%.

TYPES OF MARINE FISH SPECIES

  • Pelagic: Lives on the surface of sea water.

  • Demersal: Lives at the sea bed of shallow waters up to the depth where effective sunlight penetrates, making planktons available.

FISHING PORTS

  • Sindh: Karachi, Thatta

  • Balochistan: Jiwani, Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara, Sonmiani

SUBSISTENCE FISHING

  • Defined as fishing for personal consumption by fishermen and their families.

  • Utilizes traditional nets, hand nets, and small wooden boats under 20m in length.

  • Fishermen typically operate within 5 km off the shore due to limitations in fuel, refrigeration, and weather risks.

  • Covers a maximum of 1 or 2 hectares of sea.

  • Can include drying and salting of fish, gutting.

    • Fishing tools: Basket of ice for the catch, mostly one-day operation, provides nominal catch.

COMMERCIAL FISHING

  • Fish are sold in the market.

  • Boats can be up to 100m long with large crews (up to 100 people).

  • Operations can extend away from port up to 50-60 km into deep sea waters.

  • Use of technology such as radar and sonar to locate fish, with some vessels staying away from the port for weeks.

  • Boats equipped with cold storage, mechanized equipment, strong nylon nets, and ropes. Types of processed fish include:

    • Gutted, canned, dried, frozen, salted, and fish oil.

TYPES OF MARINE FISH CATCH

  • Sharks

  • Croakers

  • Drums

  • Catfish

  • Skates

  • Rays

WHY SINDH COAST IS AN IMPORTANT FISHING CENTRE

  • Large market for fish.

  • Increased interest from investors leading to better economic opportunities.

  • Infrastructure includes good roads, reliable electricity, clean water, and modern facilities.

  • Skilled labor available.

  • Strong foreign investments enhance the fishing sector.

  • Enhanced port facilities and improved cold storage capabilities.

  • More mechanized fishing fleet developed.

  • Numerous creeks and sheltered harbors to support fishing activities.

  • Wider continental shelf and abundant mangroves, with the Indus Delta rich in fish food.

FISH MARKET IN KARACHI

  • Karachi serves both domestic and international markets. Fish is supplied to local markets by wholesale dealers and street hawkers.

  • Approximately 30% of the total fish catch is exported to around 30 countries.

  • Major markets include Japan, UK, USA, and France.

FISH MARKETING IN GAWADAR

  • Fish catch is packed in ice for transportation to Karachi.

  • Some figures directly export to Middle Eastern countries by avoiding port charges.

  • Local marketing of some fish occurs as well.

FISHING PERIODS

  • Fishing for fish occurs mostly between November to January, and for shrimps in October and November.

  • June and July are observed as breeding times for fish.

  • Large vessel fishing occurs year-round while small part-time fishermen avoid fishing from May to September due to the South-West monsoon weather.

IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE FISHING INDUSTRY

  • Implementation of training facilities.

  • Establishment of on-shore facilities and better marketing and processing avenues.

  • Increased efficiency through research surveys targeting deep-offshore waters.

  • Development of 16 ice factories in Balochistan.

  • Improved loading and unloading facilities.

  • Provision of guidance and weather information for fishermen.

  • Monitoring systems for deep-sea fishing vessels.

INLAND FISHING

  • Practiced in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, irrigation channels, and fish farms.

TYPES OF INLAND FISH CATCH

  • Manaseer

  • Palla

  • Thalla

  • Rahu

  • Trout

  • Grass Carp

  • Silver Carp

MAIN FISHING CENTERS

  • Manchar Lake (Dadu District, Sindh)

  • Keenjhar Lake (North of Thatta)

  • Haleji Lake (West of Thatta)

  • Reservoirs at Mangla and Tarbela Dam

  • River Indus (Sukkur, Kotri, Thatta)

FISH FARMING

  • Characteristics include:

    • Utilizing flat land for machinery operations.

    • Availability of large and inexpensive land for farm construction.

    • Alluvial deposits facilitate easy pond excavation.

    • Impervious alluvium retains water, supported by higher water tables for pond filling.

    • Availability of large irrigation schemes and government incentives.

    • Numerous hatcheries provide baby fish.

    • Developed road networks for fish supply.

    • Farms consist of large rectangular ponds with concrete bases to prevent water loss.

    • Separation of ponds through embankments designated for different species or maturity levels.

    • Regular farming practices involve feeding, checking health, and managing water levels.

ADVANTAGES OF FISH FARMING

  • Provides a sustainable source of income.

  • Serves as raw material for the fertilizer industry.

  • Creates employment opportunities.

  • Alleviates pressures on crop and livestock production.

  • Contributes to foreign exchange via exports.

DISADVANTAGES OF FISH FARMING

  • Requires substantial space.

  • May lead to lower regional water tables.

  • Associated with deforestation risks.

  • The need for specialized skills may limit entry.

  • Initial capital investment necessary.

  • Consistent need for fresh water.

  • Adequate road networks essential for effective supply chains.

PROBLEMS OF FISHING INDUSTRY

WATER POLLUTION

  • Accumulation of toxic chemicals in fish tissues poses health risks to consumers.

  • Eutrophication: Caused by excess phosphorous and nitrogen, leading to excessive algae growth and oxygen depletion that suffocates fish.

  • Thermal Pollution: Returns warm water from engines to natural water bodies, reducing oxygen levels and increasing fish mortality.

  • Improper disposal of domestic and industrial wastes increases risks of fish ingestion of plastics leading to death.

OVERFISHING

  • Occurs when fishing during breeding seasons or catching immature fish (young fish).

THREAT TO MANGROVES

  • Important as a protective barrier against tidal extremes and breeding grounds for many fish species, mangroves cannot survive in polluted conditions.

GOVERNMENT MEASURES TO PROMOTE FISHERIES

  • Establishment of hatcheries, nurseries, and seed farms for mass production of quality fish seeds.

  • Enhanced management systems and development of infrastructures like lakes and rivers for fishing needs.

  • Advisory services to private farmers, including reduced rates for irrigation support and availability of equipment.

  • Improvements to Karachi Harbour and construction of new fishing harbors and cold storage facilities.

DEVELOPING FISHERIES SUSTAINABLY

  • Limit foreign involvement in local fishing to prevent overfishing.

  • Implement bans on illegal fishing nets.

  • Enforce laws against mangrove deforestation and water pollution.

  • Set annual catch limits for fish species.

TYPES OF NET FISHING

TRAWLING

  • Use of trawl nets dragged through deep water, primarily to capture bottom-dwelling fish species.

PURSE SEINING

  • Involves surrounding a school of fish with a large net and closing the bottom to trap the fish, effective for catching mid-water and surface species.

DRIFT NETTING

  • Long vertical nets across the path of migrating fish, resulting in entanglement.

SECTORS IN FISHING INDUSTRY

PRIMARY SECTOR

  • Involves breeding and fish farming.

SECONDARY SECTOR

  • Focuses on processing including ice factories, packing, and canning tasks.

TERTIARY SECTOR

  • Involves exporting fish, facilitating weather data provision, and loading/unloading operations.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

  • Structured to engage students in critical thinking and application based on material covered.

ANSWER KEY

  • Reference material documenting answers to practice questions for self-assessment access.