Frozen fish export to China resumes

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

With the lifting of ban on fish catch from Sindh Government, exports of frozen fish have started for China, much to the delight of the local fishermen.

Lauding the lifting of ban, a Chinese importer, Xu Zhenwei, was expecting to receive the frozen fish consignment at the end of the the current month. 

“Gutted silver croaker and golden thread fin bream without head and fins, hair tail and squid are very popular” Xu Zhenwei tweeted. 

 He revealed that his company was engaged in importing about 150 containers of frozen seafood from Pakistan. 

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, keeping in view the cyclones and financial strains faced by fishermen due to ongoing COVID-19 situation, has decided to provide relief to the fishermen by lifting ban on fishing from June. He had taken the decision earlier in the week while meeting a delegation led by Qadir Patel, a member of the National Assembly.

The Chief Minister was informed that the fishermen had suffered a lot for the past eight to 10 months due to cyclones, high tides, and then coronavirus (COVID-19) which made their survival very difficult. 

It may be noted that the government has had a policy of imposing two-month ban on fishing, during June and July due to breeding, but the fishermen have now already been out of work for the last many months.

The Chief Minister, stating to be well aware of the situation, assured to provide relief to the fishermen community. He directed the Secretary Fisheries to put up a summary to lift the ban on fishing in June so that with the easing of lockdown, the fishermen could resume their work and earn bread and butter for their families. 

He added that he had always protected the interest of fishermen on priority basis. “We would not let any segment of society, including fishermen alone. Our government would be supporting them to steer them out of the present crisis,” he concluded.