News & Events

Thatta May 12 ,2011

Floating matka and nets provided to Keenjhar Fishermen

Thatta May 12: Keenjhar Lake is under threat due to increased industrial and domestic effluent discharge through the Kalri-Baghar Feeder canal which carries contaminants from Kotri industrial area. This was stated by the Programme Coordinator WWF Nasir Ali Panhwar at a ceremony organized for distribution of fishing nets and copper made floating pitcher. Speaking on the occasion, he said that during the past few years the numbers of fishermen and boats have declined and majority of the fishermen have altered their livelihood and turned to stone mining and stone crushing due to depletion in fisheries resources of the lake.

He said that the main thrust of Indus for All Programme is to improve livelihoods of communities, as these communities are faced with the issues of poverty and diminishing livelihood resources. The main source of livelihood of communities living alongside of Keenjhar Lake is on fishing. Majority of the community is poverty stricken and lives below the poverty line and lack basic infrastructure facilities. He said that fishing through floating matka is unique practice only found in Keenjhar and needs to be promoted.

Deputy Project Director Fisheries Department Aslam Jarwar and District Officer Fisheries Zulfiqar Larik urged the fishermen to abstain from catching juvenile fish. They said that to secure livelihood in long run, it is imperative to exploit fish resources on sustainable basis. They added that fisheries department has taken various initiatives for the upliftment of fishermen community of Keenjhar Lake. Hafeezullah site manager WWF, Irshad Gandro, Kamal Palari, Raheela Memon and other also spoke on the occasion, while twenty fishermen were given away fishing nets and floating matka.

For further Information:

Nasir Ali Panhwar
Programme Coordinator
Programme Management Unit - Karachi
+92-213- 4544791-2
napanhwar@gmail.com