In Pakistan, Balochistan committee reviews fisheries bill
The Standing Committee on Fisheries of the Balochistan Assembly in Quetta, Pakistan, reviewed the 2026 Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill. The document is intended to modernize and consolidate the rules governing the province’s fisheries sector, Dawn reports.
Unified rules for the sector
The committee was told that the current regulations in fisheries and coastal development are outdated and fragmented. These include the Balochistan Fisheries Ordinance of 1961, the Marine Fisheries Ordinance of 1971, the Pasni Fish Harbour Authority Ordinance of 1983, and the Coastal Development Authority Act of 1998. This system creates administrative gaps and overlapping institutional powers.
The bill provides for a unified regulatory framework for sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, harbour management, licensing, digital governance, monitoring, environmental protection, and fishers’ welfare. The document also recommends dissolving the Pasni Fish Harbour Authority and the Coastal Development Authority. Their assets, liabilities, and functions are proposed to be transferred to the Fisheries and Coastal Development Department.
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Consultations in Gwadar and Lasbela
The meeting was chaired by Maulana Hidayatur Rehman Baloch. He expressed concern over the absence of the fisheries secretary, stressing that consideration of an important legislative matter requires the participation of senior officials.
Committee members said that the views of local fishers, fish farmers, and other stakeholders in Gwadar and Lasbela should be taken into account before the bill is finalized. The next meeting is planned to be held in Gwadar, with fishers and stakeholder representatives invited. If an official meeting cannot be held, the committee will organize a seminar to collect proposals. Representatives of the finance department and general administration services were also decided to be involved in further discussions.
