Commerce Desk
Islamabad: The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and FAO are launching a collaborative initiative to transform Pakistan’s marine fisheries through stronger biodiversity protection, sustainable fishing, and regenerative management. The proposed project is backed by an FAO-supported Global Environment Facility Project Preparation Grant.
Marine fisheries provide direct jobs to about 390,000 people and indirect jobs to over 1.25 million, but unsustainable and illegal fishing, habitat degradation, and climate change threaten their future.
Federal Secretary Capt. (Retd.) Muhammad Khurram Agha said the initiative will strengthen coordination, promote responsible fishing, and support evidence-based management. FAO Pakistan’s Officer In-Charge, Emmah Kamau, stressed closer collaboration with federal and provincial institutions, the private sector, and coastal communities.
The project focuses on three areas: strengthening policy, regulation, and financing; supporting sustainable practices through private-sector engagement and value-chain support; and improving data, monitoring, and decision-making.
Stakeholders shared views during consultations, and their input from government, researchers, fisherfolk, and coastal communities will shape the full project document.
