Quetta (UNA): Illegal fishing along Balochistan’s coastline has once again intensified, with powerful trawlers from Sindh deploying modern machinery and banned fine-mesh nets to capture thousands of kilograms of fish daily. Local fishermen, meanwhile, are returning empty-handed, struggling to feed their families.
Reports reveal that in coastal areas such as Dam, Gadani, Kund Malir, Ras Malan, Spit, and Gagoo Bandar, trawlers are openly operating in violation of Pakistani laws that prohibit Sindh-based trawlers from entering Balochistan’s waters. Fishermen warn that rare and valuable fish species are rapidly disappearing, while the marine ecosystem is suffering irreparable damage.
Despite spending thousands of rupees daily on diesel, ice, and supplies, local fishermen are unable to sustain their livelihoods. Poverty and hunger are gripping their households, children are deprived of education and healthcare, and many young men are migrating to Karachi or abroad in search of work. Some, driven by despair, have even turned toward crime.
The fishermen accuse the fisheries department and law enforcement agencies of “criminal negligence” and allege that both remain silent spectators as the “trawler mafia” devastates Balochistan’s sea.
They warn that if urgent action is not taken, millions will lose their source of livelihood, and future generations will inherit nothing but hunger and destitution.
