Pakistan launches plan to restore shark populations
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Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister, announced the country’s first National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (NPOA).
The ten-year plan aims to rebuild declining shark numbers, stop illegal finning, protect important ocean areas, and support sustainable fishing practices in Pakistani waters through 2035. The NPOA will unfold in three phases, beginning with an initial five years of funding estimated between $3.8 million and $5 million.
A National Advisory Committee with representatives from many groups will oversee the plan’s implementation. The plan focuses on improving fisheries management, increasing data collection, and conducting more scientific research on shark populations. Specific measures include requiring that fins remain attached to shark bodies when landed, providing protection for specific species, creating shark sanctuaries, restoring mangrove forests, and reducing accidental shark deaths in fisheries.
Pakistan also intends to support coastal fishing communities and collaborate internationally, including through its involvement with the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. The government will evaluate the plan’s success each year by monitoring landing sites, completing assessments of fish stocks, tracking vessels, and measuring reductions in bycatch. They will also conduct formal reviews every three years.
The NPOA will cover all sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras in Pakistani waters, with a focus on species most impacted by fishing or bycatch, though improvements will also benefit other related species.
