By Dr Nazia Sher
For decades, Balochistan has possessed one of Pakistan’s greatest untapped economic assets in its fisheries sector. Stretching along more than 770 kilometres of coastline on the Arabian Sea and blessed with rich marine biodiversity, extensive inland water resources and strategically located coastal communities, the province has long had the potential to emerge as a regional centre for fisheries and aquaculture. Yet this enormous potential has remained largely unrealised because of weak governance, outdated legislation, inadequate infrastructure and the absence of a coherent long-term strategy. While neighbouring countries have transformed their fisheries into major contributors to exports and employment, Balochistan has struggled to move beyond subsistence-level development despite its natural advantages.
The absence of a comprehensive fisheries policy until 2026 illustrates how successive governments overlooked a sector capable of generating significant economic growth, creating employment and improving food security. Fisheries management continued to rely on outdated laws that no longer reflected modern environmental realities or international market requirements. Separate legal instruments governed marine and inland fisheries without sufficient coordination, licensing systems lacked consistency, institutional responsibilities overlapped and enforcement remained weak. At a time when climate change, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and declining fish stocks were placing growing pressure on marine ecosystems, such fragmented governance became increasingly unsustainable.
International seafood markets have also evolved considerably over the past decade. Export destinations now demand strict compliance with traceability, quality assurance, environmental sustainability and certification standards. Countries unable to meet these requirements risk losing access to lucrative international markets. For Balochistan, therefore, fisheries reform was no longer simply an administrative necessity; it became an economic imperative. Without modern legislation and effective institutions, the province would continue to fall behind regional competitors such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand, all of which have invested heavily in strengthening fisheries governance and value-added seafood exports.
Against this backdrop, the Government of Balochistan, supported technically by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and financially by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through the Governance and Livelihoods through Landscape and Seascape Programme (GLLSP-II), embarked upon one of the province’s most ambitious governance reforms. Rather than producing another policy document destined to gather dust on government shelves, the initiative sought to establish a complete governance architecture. This included the Balochistan Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (2025–2035), a proposed Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, a Policy Support Programme, an Implementation Plan and six harmonised sets of Marine and Inland Fisheries Rules designed to bring coherence, clarity and consistency to fisheries management.
The significance of this effort became evident during the Technical Working Group meeting and the formal handing-over ceremony held in Quetta on 23 June 2026. The occasion represented far more than an official event. It marked the culmination of years of consultations involving government departments, legal experts, universities, fisheries specialists, coastal communities, fisherfolk organisations and development partners. Achieving consensus on such a comprehensive legal framework required patience, technical expertise and institutional commitment over an extended period.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the reform process was its resilience despite repeated administrative changes. During the drafting period, the Fisheries Department experienced multiple changes in leadership, including three Directors General and four departmental Secretaries. Such turnover frequently delays or even derails public sector reforms. Yet the process continued uninterrupted because of the sustained commitment of provincial officials, FAO specialists, legal advisers and more than twenty technical focal persons who remained focused on the larger objective of institutional reform rather than administrative uncertainty.
Equally important was the emphasis placed on creating legislation that reflects practical realities rather than theoretical aspirations. The technical review of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Rules addressed inconsistencies that had accumulated over decades. Definitions were standardised, licensing procedures streamlined, legal overlaps removed and cross-referencing improved to establish a coherent legal system. These reforms were further strengthened through legal vetting to ensure compatibility with internationally recognised fisheries governance principles, thereby improving the province’s ability to meet global seafood trade requirements.
The consultations also demonstrated a welcome recognition that fisheries governance extends well beyond legal drafting. Participants explored practical issues that directly affect productivity and sustainability, including digital vessel registration, scientific stock assessment, improved fisheries statistics, seafood traceability, certification systems and ecosystem-based fisheries management. Such measures are increasingly regarded as essential components of responsible fisheries administration across the world. Without reliable scientific data and transparent monitoring systems, governments cannot effectively manage fish stocks or protect marine biodiversity from overexploitation.
The broader achievements of the GLLSP-II programme also deserve recognition. Beyond fisheries reforms, the initiative has supported climate-resilient agriculture and livestock practices, established Farmer Field Schools, strengthened institutional capacity, trained government officials and benefited more than 27,000 people across Lasbela and Gwadar. This integrated approach reflects an important understanding that coastal livelihoods depend upon interconnected environmental, agricultural and marine ecosystems rather than isolated sectors operating independently.
The discussion surrounding implementation proved equally significant. Participants rightly recognised that policies alone cannot transform livelihoods unless accompanied by sustained financial investment and institutional capacity. Expanding aquaculture, modernising hatcheries, improving fisheries infrastructure, strengthening research institutions and enhancing extension services will require long-term government commitment alongside meaningful private-sector participation. Building scientific expertise and investing in modern research facilities are essential if Balochistan is to develop a competitive fisheries sector capable of responding to emerging environmental and commercial challenges.
(The writer is a research associate at the National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA), Pakistan. She focuses on fisheries maritime governance and policy, and blue economy development in Indian Ocean. She can be reached at editorial@metro-morning.com)
