Pakistan Formulates National Fisheries Policy To Unlock $10 Billion Potential.
✧ GENERATE BRIEFING +
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhary announced that Pakistan is advancing the formulation of its National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, structured to unlock up to $10 billion in economic potential from the country's marine and inland water sectors. Reviewing the performance of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the minister directed departments to streamline regulatory procedures, enhance the ease of doing business, and integrate stakeholder feedback directly into sea-based economic frameworks. Key operational developments highlighted during the meeting include the completion of a Khidmat Centre-modeled single-window portal to accelerate business services, the progress of a 100-acre off-dock terminal at Gwadar Port to boost Central Asian trade, and a $3 million GEF-backed initiative focused on marine biodiversity conservation and sustainable fishing practices.
Pakistan is preparing a National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy aimed at unlocking up to $10 billion in economic potential from the country’s fisheries sector, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhary said on Thursday.
The minister said work on the policy was underway and stressed the need for appropriate measures to develop the country’s sea-based economic activities.
He made the remarks while chairing a meeting to review the performance and progress of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and its attached departments.
Chaudhary called for improving the ease of doing business in the maritime sector by simplifying procedures and ensuring meaningful consultation with businesses and other stakeholders.
He directed the ministry and its attached departments to incorporate recommendations from industry participants into policies and initiatives concerning maritime economic activities.
The meeting was also informed that work on establishing a one-window operation, modelled on Khidmat Centres, had been completed. The initiative is intended to simplify procedures and improve service delivery for stakeholders in the maritime sector.
The proposed fisheries and aquaculture policy is expected to provide a broader framework for developing Pakistan’s fisheries resources and increasing the sector’s contribution to the economy.
Pakistan’s fisheries sector has significant potential across marine fishing, inland fisheries, and aquaculture, but its growth has been constrained by issues including limited value addition, infrastructure gaps, and regulatory challenges.
The government’s focus on a national policy signals an effort to develop the sector through more coordinated policies and investment, with the minister identifying up to $10 billion in potential that could be unlocked through appropriate measures.
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