ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has launched a digital fisheries traceability system alongside its first Fishing Technology Museum as part of efforts to curb illegal fishing, improve regulatory compliance and strengthen access to international seafood markets, the maritime affairs ministry said this week.

Pakistan’s fisheries sector has long struggled with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, weak monitoring systems and limited traceability, factors that have constrained exports despite the country’s extensive coastline and exclusive economic zone in the Arabian Sea. Compliance with international regulations, particularly those of the European Union and the United States, has increasingly become a prerequisite for market access.

On Monday, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry inaugurated the fishing museum in Karachi and soft-launched the “Mahi Dost” app, a digital catch-to-consumer tracking system designed to help Pakistani seafood exporters meet stringent international certification requirements.

Addressing fishermen, academics and members of the business community, Chaudhry said the two new initiatives together would strengthen monitoring, control and surveillance in the fisheries sector and help curb regional losses from illegal fishing, estimated at around $1 billion. He said they were aligned with Pakistan’s Blue Economy Policy and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 14, which focuses on protecting marine ecosystems.

“The government is committed to aligning with global best practices by combining heritage and innovation to secure a sustainable maritime future,” Chaudhry said.

The minister said the new museum was intended to serve as more than a cultural exhibition space.

“The museum was not merely an exhibition space but a strategic asset for the country’s blue economy,” he said.

“By bringing together indigenous knowledge and modern innovations such as AI-enabled sonar and environmentally friendly nets, the initiative would support informed policymaking to counter overfishing and climate-related risks.”

The newly launched Mahi Dost app introduces digital tracking of seafood from catch to consumer using blockchain, GPS and QR-code technology. Fishermen can log catch data in real time, enabling verification of origin, fishing methods and supply chains, which are requirements increasingly enforced by importing countries.

According to the ministry, the system is designed to comply with international frameworks including EU Catch Certification rules, regulations targeting IUU fishing, the US Marine Mammal Protection Act and standards set by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.

Chaudhry described the app as a tool to safeguard legal fishing practices and strengthen exports.

“The app would verify dolphin-safe fishing and transparent supply chains, directly strengthening Pakistan’s seafood exports,” he said, noting exports were currently valued at around $500 million annually.

Chaudhry added that early pilot projects had already reduced approval times for European markets and enabled small-scale fishermen to access higher-value international buyers.