The Sindh government has prepared a comprehensive programme worth Rs1,300 million envisaging 13 development schemes to upgrade the fisheries sector and for the welfare of fishermen. The uplift schemes will be in addition to the federally financed master plan for the development of aquaculture in the coastal areas and the community development project prepared by the Coastal Development Authority through the technical assistance of the Asian Development Bank. Unfolding details of the projects at a news conference, Sindh Fisheries Director Anwar-ul-Islam said that the government was giving special attention to the development needs of the fisheries sector and fishermen community, which had been neglected in the past. He said the government selected sites for the development of fishermen model villages, which would have modern housing and infrastructure facilities. The project would cost Rs481.825 million, he added. Initially, each model village would have 100 housing units, which would be extended later. The sites selected included Dabla Para, Rehri, Karachi, Ghugro Kar, Zero Point, Badin, Keenjhar Lake, Thatta and Manchar Lake, Dadu. He said the government would spend Rs334.836 for the provision of landing, chilling storage and processing facilities at the Zero Point, Keenjhar Lake, Manchar Lake and construction of a jetty for small fishermen at the Karachi Fish Harbour. He said Rs352 million would be provided for the provision of fishing gear, modification of boats, ice-boxes and fishing crates. Under an arrangement, the fishermen would also be provided engines, nets, bicycles, insulated boxes, plastic baskets and crates. The official pointed out that the fisheries development plan included surveillance of marine fisheries in the coastal areas of Sindh, which would cost Rs24.763 million for the effective enforcement of the Sindh Fisheries Ordinance regarding a ban on shrimp and fish catching during the breeding season and check the use of prohibited nets. Anwar-ul-Islam said the government also planned to launch a pilot project to introduce pen culture in the coastal creeks and backwaters of Sindh. Under the project 20 pens were being installed in Thatta and Badin. Estimated to cost Rs15.226 million, the project would increase marine fish production by five per cent and increase productivity from 400,000 to 420,000 million tons. Another component of the development programme is low-cost feed development for brackish and marine fish culture that would cost Rs21.317million. Under this project, indigenous feed ingredients would be utilised for production of feed, which would be tried on shellfish and fin-fish cultured at research stations. Aquaculture development In addition, the director said, the government selected 20,000 acres for the development of aquaculture at the Sindh coast for which satellite imagery had been taken through Suparco. The comprehensive plan had been prepared under the supervision of a foreign consultant. The project would cost Rs32.958 million. The federal government also planned to finance the aquaculture and shrimp farming projects in Sindh, Punjab, the NWFP and Balochistan at a cost of Rs2 billion. The Sindh government will spend Rs19.2 million on breeding of shrimp in the coastal areas of Thatta and Badin. The fisheries official said the government was also spending Rs784.013 million on some ongoing schemes, which included improvement of fish and shrimp hatcheries in the province. Responding to questions, the official admitted that the fisheries sector suffered a lot due to the past neglect. "There has been a decrease in the catch. The shrimp production has decline by 40 per cent that adversely affected our exports,' he added. The official expressed hope that the fisheries would get a boost with the implementation of these projects.