Daily Times

The sea covers 71 per cent of the earth’s surface. Ex-Soviet Navy, Admiral Gorshkov, who is considered the architect of their modern Navy said, “Our seas, oceans and inland waterways are of huge importance in terms of resources, the environment and conservation, trade and industry, marine sciences and leisure activity.”

The oceans have vast resources, but their potential has not yet been exploited to the full extent. The marine study is being given a lot of importance by the maritime nations. The present emphasis is on the use of desalination plants to get fresh water, exploration of minerals under the sea like oil, gas, undersea mining of sulphur and dredging for manganese nodules, marine life and use of plankton and krill as sources of protein. New methods of fishing, using acoustic devices such as sonars, are being used, especially in deeper waters.

To harness the marine resources, technology is being modernised rapidly.

A nation’s internal waters cover all water and waterways such as rivers and canals, and sometimes the water within small bays on the landward side of the baseline from which a nation’s territorial waters are defined. According to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UN CLOS), 1982, a coastal nation is free to set laws, regulate any use, and use any resource. Foreign vessels have no right of passage within internal waters, and this lack of right to innocent passage is the key difference between internal waters and territorial waters. The territorial waters, as defined by the UN CLOS of 1982, are a belt of coastal waters extending at the most, 12 Nautical Miles (NM) or 22.2 km from the baseline of a coastal state. An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a concept adopted at the third UN CLOS of 1982, whereby a coastal state assumes jurisdiction over the exploration and exploitation of marine resources in its adjacent section of the continental shelf, taken to be a band extending 200 nautical miles (370 km). It includes conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and the seabed and its subsoil, and about other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds. However, naval activities are allowed in the EEZ by the other nations.

Pakistan is blessed with approximately 990 km-long coast, starting from Sir Creek in the South East (the disputed area not yet demarcated with India) up to Jiwani in the west with the border of Iran. The EEZ extends up to 200 NM (370 km) from the baseline with a total area of 240,000 square km, which has been available to Pakistan since 1982. Article 76 of the UN CLOS allows coastal states to extend their continental shelf beyond 200NM. The project to extend Pakistan’s continental shelf was started jointly in 2005 by Pakistan Navy (PN) and National Institute of Oceanography (NIO).

According to PN press release issued in July 2018, after gigantic efforts, the UN Commission on Limits of Continental Shelf (UN CLCS) accepted Pakistan’s claim for the extension of its continental shelf from 200 to 350NM. In this way, additional 50,000 square km area (total 290,000 square km) is available to Pakistan to explore and utilise for economic activities. Pakistan has not been able to utilise this vast area except for carrying out fishing and as a means of transportation. Oil and gas exploration has been attempted but unfortunately without success. The ocean resources are enormous, which are found on the sea bed. Nodules are typically the size and shape of potatoes. Another important item available is phosphorite nodules, mostly found on the continental shelf, in comparatively shallow waters. These are marine deposits of phosphorous compounds. Phosphorite is an important fertiliser for agriculture use. These are irregular in shape and found on the sea bed, varying from small pebbles to slabs up to one metre in length. Moreover, sand and gravels are also accessible from the sea bed in abundance. These can be extracted by normal dredging process, which is usually used for earth filling for the extension of seashores and as a building material. These are being utilised to build artificial islands for various purposes. Pakistan needs to exploit the huge sea area at its disposal. Initially, the EEZ is required to be surveyed for the items already mentioned. Later, suitable technologies are to be employed to extract minerals or other items discovered. New technological developments in maritime survey sector are in the field of sensing and surveying in the maritime environments, to locate, map and assess the extent of marine resources. Surveying and sensing techniques are concerned with location while others are required for mapping of the sea bed topography. Another aspect of the conversion of seawater to potable water is being used by most of the countries.

There is an acute shortage of water at Karachi, Gwadar, and other inhabited places along the coast. The possibilities of desalination plants may be studied to meet the shortages

At present, the desalination industry and equipment have been used by more than 150 countries and regions in the world, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Spain, Cyprus, Malaysia, Gibraltar, Cape Verde, Portugal, Greece, Italy, India, China, Japan and Australia. India has the largest desalination plant in South Asia in the Minjur near Chennai, which produces 36.5 million litres of water per year. A second plant is located about 35 km to the Chennai City having a full capacity to treat 100 million litres of sea-water per day was inaugurated on February 2013. Similarly, Australia and Israel have managed to overcome the acute shortage of potable water. Australia has vigorously developed desalination technology and industry. As of August 2012, Australia’s desalination capacity has reached nearly 1.0×106 m3/d. In Israel by 2016, 70 per cent of the drinking water was from desalination plants. There is an acute shortage of water at Karachi, Gwadar, and other inhabited places along the coast. The possibilities of desalination plants may be studied to meet the shortages. Regarding surveying the sea, Pakistan Navy has a survey ship, which is mostly busy with naval assignments. A lot of training is required to operate sophisticated equipment on board. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs may consider purchasing another suitably equipped survey vessel for surveying the area and may be handed over to Pakistan Navy for operations or it may operate independently employing the suitably trained personnel. The other option is to give the contract to a renowned company, and Pakistani scientists may board the ship during operation.

The fishing industry of a maritime nation plays an important role in the development of its economy. In Pakistan, bread and butter of almost all the residents along the coast are dependent on fishing. This industry directly employs 300,000 fishermen and another 400,000 are employed in the industries associated with fishing, like ice factories, boat building and repairs, cleaning of fish for sale and export. Approximately 16,000 fishing boats operate in the coastal areas. Pakistan has huge 290,000 Square km area, which has a very good quality of fish, which includes all types of grouper (gag, red, black, scamp and giant). It is very popular in the Middle East. Other varieties are pomfret (blank & white) all family of mackerel (salmon, tuna, sardines), barracuda, rohu, catfish, grunter (dhother), barramundi (dangri) and red snapper. Karachi fish harbour handles 90 per cent of fish and seafood from the sea and 95 per cent of the total export. In 2017, fishery sector of Pakistani contributed 6, 58,486 metric tons (MT) including 5, 03,728 MT from sea and 1, 54,757 MT from aquaculture. The export and import were 1, 04,686 MT and 1, 855 MT respectively. The value of export earnings in 2013 was USD 2, 77,842 (000) (thousands) and import expenditure USD 6,885 (000).

However, after the inspection visits the seafood export to the US, Saudi Arabia has been stopped. There are fears that other countries may follow the suit and export may decline. Already, Pakistan’s seafood products are banned in the European Union, the reason being unhygienic conditions in the boats, and handling in the harbour and means of transportation. Our fishermen are generally uneducated and use old fishing techniques. Moreover, during the breeding season (June and July), although fishing is officially banned, some of them continue fishing. They catch juveniles, which are sold as poultry feed. It is detrimental to the growth of marine life, which is being depleted. The coastal fishermen point of view is that fishing is their livelihood, therefore, the government should provide them with alternate jobs during the breeding season. It is suggested that the government may devise criteria and then ensure its implementation so that bigger boats with nets do not go for fishing during the breeding season. Major fish harbours are at Karachi, Korangi, Pasni, Ormara, and Gwadar on the west coast and Ketti Bandar on the South East of Karachi.

However, after building a deepwater port at Gwadar, the fishermen have been displaced. They need alternate seafront. It has been observed that Karachi fish harbour is overcrowded for berthing, loading, and unloading of fishing crafts. Moreover, it has mammoth pollution. There is a need to build a fish harbour along the coast. PN has already surveyed Khor Kalmat to construct a harbour. The Basol River drains into the Khor Kalmat lagoon. It lies about 350 km west of Karachi by road at a distance of about 20 km from the Makran Coastal Highway. It is in between Ormara and Pasni and well sheltered from the adverse sea conditions. The ministry of maritime affairs may consider building a fish harbour at this site and equip it with modern gear and associated facilities.

The writer is an advisor to the National Institute of Maritime Affairs