Daily Times

The Balochistan government on Wednesday approved Churna Island as a designated Marine Protected Area (MPA), the second in Pakistan, according to a press release by the World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan (WWF-P).

Churna is an island in the Arabian Sea, located around 6.8 km northwest of Mubarak Village. According to the press release, the provincial government had declared Astola Island as the first MPA in June 2017.

The non-governmental organisation appreciated the Balochistan government’s efforts in securing this designation, while also lauding Secretary Forest and Wildlife Department Dostain Jamaldini and Chief Conservator Wildlife Sharifuddin Baloch for playing a role in the process.

Churna Island, like Astola Island, is among the limited marine areas in Pakistan that have coral habitats and are termed a biodiversity hotspot.

“However, Churna Island, located near Karachi, is being extensively used for scuba diving, snorkelling, cliff jumping, jet skiing, and other recreational activities.

“It is considered an important fishing ground where a large number of fishermen from Sindh and Balochistan operate,” the press release noted.

The marine ecosystem and diverse wildlife inhabiting Churna Island are under serious threat due to many anthropogenic activities including the development of power plants, single-point mooring, an oil refinery in the immediate vicinity, as well as recreational activities that are conducted in the area, the press release said. “WWF-P believes that declaration of Churna Island as an MPA is an important step towards ensuring that the fragile ecosystem of the area is protected.”