Islamabad: The government is all set to formulate Pakistan’s first fisheries policy, according to a news source. Minister for National Food Security and Research Muhammad Mehboob Sultan made an announcement in this regard while inaugurating the trout farming programme in Swat.
This policy will help explore the massive potential of the fisheries sector, and make it an important contributor to the economy. Sultan revealed that at present, the average per capita annual fish consumption of Pakistan is only 2 kg, as compared to the world average of 20 kg. He added that Pakistan has a coastline of over 1,100 KM, which is largely unutilised when it comes to coastal and marine fish farming. In addition, he revealed that the fisheries policy will be formulated with support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United States.
The trout farming initiative he inaugurated consists of three components: shrimp farming, trout fish farming, and cage fish farming. This initiative is worth PKR 2,355 million, and falls under the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Emergency Programme.
