KARACHI: Pakistan has secured $3 million in funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to conserve marine biodiversity and shift toward sustainable and regenerative fisheries management, Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said on Saturday.
The funding, drawn from the GEF Trust Fund, will support a project aimed at strengthening fisheries governance, reducing environmental damage and improving monitoring of coastal and marine ecosystems. Of the total amount, $1.2 million will finance biodiversity interventions, while $1.8 million will address land degradation linked to coastal and marine areas.
“Our sector faces overfishing, high post-harvest losses, and illicit practices that strain marine environments,” Chaudhry said in a statement. “With 701 boats in tuna fishing, mostly artisanal with some semi-industrial, unselective methods and poor onboard storage lead to waste and lost market opportunities.”
“Pakistan, a key player in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and aligned with G16 like-minded coastal states, struggles with unreliable data, weak regulations, and over 70 unofficial landing sites that hinder monitoring, control and policy-making,” he added.
The minister said the program would focus on data collection, policy reform, infrastructure upgrades, capacity building and improved market access, while advancing commitments such as reducing fishing effort, expanding Marine Protected Areas and cutting bycatch.
GEF, which finances environmental initiatives under major global conventions including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), supports projects in biodiversity, climate change, international waters and land degradation.
Fisheries contribute about 1 percent to Pakistan’s GDP but are a critical source of livelihoods in coastal areas.
Chaudhry said the initiative was designed to modernize the fisheries sector, improve the livelihoods of fisherfolk and align Pakistan’s marine management practices with national and international environmental commitments.
