Pakistan Launches 10-Year National Plan for Shark Conservation
Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Tuesday unveiled Pakistan's first 10-year national action plan for shark conservation. The plan aims to restore declining shark populations, stop illegal finning and bycatch, protect important marine habitats, and support sustainable fisheries in Pakistani waters through 2035.
Funding and Implementation
The Marine Fisheries Department will carry out the plan in three phases. It is backed by an estimated $3.8 million to $5 million in funding during its first five years.
National Advisory Committee
A multi-stakeholder National Advisory Committee will oversee the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (NPOA-Sharks Pakistan 2025-2035). The plan seeks to strengthen fisheries management and enforcement while improving data collection and scientific research on shark populations.
Key Measures Under the Plan
The proposed measures include mandatory fins-naturally-attached policies, species-specific protections, shark sanctuaries, mangrove restoration, and steps to reduce shark deaths as bycatch across different fisheries. The plan also aims to improve the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities through targeted support, while encouraging sustainable shark fisheries and greater international cooperation, including through the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.
Monitoring and Reviews
The minister said implementation would be assessed annually against performance indicators such as landing-site monitoring coverage, completion of stock assessments, deployment of vessel monitoring systems, and reductions in bycatch mortality. Formal reviews would be carried out every three years.
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Species Covered
The plan covers all chondrichthyan species found in Pakistani waters, including sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras, with particular focus on species targeted by fisheries or facing high levels of bycatch mortality.
"Although the primary emphasis is on sharks, the management frameworks, data collection systems and enforcement mechanisms established through the NPOA will also benefit other elasmobranch species," the minister said.
International Alignment
Chaudhry said the action plan had been tailored to Pakistan's ecological, institutional, and socioeconomic conditions while remaining aligned with the Food and Agriculture Organisation's International Plan of Action for Sharks and other international best practices.
Preparation of the plan fulfilled Pakistan's responsibilities as a shark-fishing nation under international fisheries law, he added.
The FAO's international shark action plan encourages countries to develop national conservation and management plans, minimise waste, and promote sustainable fishing practices. Chaudhry said that "responsible management of marine resources must come first", stressing the need for stronger safeguards for vulnerable shark species and those whose capture is prohibited.
