Ibrahim Hyderi trip report

Mubashir Ahmed Kasi

1617119

discussion with Fisherfolk Forum persons

In discussion with fisherfolk forum persons, couple of issues where pointed out. First; Over fishing and
sea water polluting, second; huge amount of decrease in mangroves forests and third, Modernizing and
commercializing of fishing livestock. capital intensity taking over the labor intensity putting women out
of labor force. Fourth, Fishermen captured by neighboring country (India and Pakistan) because of
terrorizations and unclear borders in sea. social movements and protests for rights of traditional
fishermen community around the nation(Struggle against Rangers in Badin).

According to a 1957 newspaper article in

America’s Washington Post, Karachi’s
beaches were some of the "cleanest
beaches in Asia". Tiny working-class
settlements (gohts) near these beaches
began to expand.

Karachi coastline was so clean that it was

named as “blue waters”. children playing
games on the beach through coin in the
water and then dive to find it. It was a place
of traditional fishermen who worship the
sea and took care of it through indigenous knowledge. They had their rule to follow in fishing to not to
do over fishing. Not doing fishing in specific seasons to maintain their population.

Now, because of pollution this blue water has changed to black water because of dumping wastage
(industrial, agriculture and municipal) in sea water. Over 500 million gallons dumping daily only of
Karachi. Polluting the sea water forced the fishes to move into the deep sea. Which makes it difficult for
traditional fishermen to d Home

Pakistan is fortunate with rich and varied natural reserves, mangrove ecosystem is one of them.
Mangroves forests of Pakistan in Indus delta and along Arabian Sea coastal areas of Sindh and
Baluchistan. The mangrove swamps of the Sindh coastal zone are extensive, covering 243,000 hectares
(ha) compared with 7,400 ha along the Baluchistan coast. At times, over 600,000 hectares of Pakistan’s
coastline was under mangrove forestation. But today, as per estimates, mangroves are 70,000 hectors of
fishing into the sea.

The Indus Delta provides subsistence to approximately 200,000 people throughout the year. About half
of this population is located in Korangi area located on the southern outskirts of Karachi. While the
remaining population is spread over the rest coastal belt to the Indian border.
The economic importance of mangroves of Indus delta could be ascertained from the fact that they
provide important breeding zone for commercially important marine fish, shrimps, lobsters and crabs
which help national economy to earn foreign exchange of US$ 100 million annually from exports besides;
providing employment and livelihood to more than 100,000 people associated with fishing industry. It is
estimated that 90% commercially important tropical marine fish species, especially prawn, spend at least
some part of their life in the mangroves. If the mangroves are degraded then as much as 250,000 tons of
fish caught off the Sindh Coast will be at risk (IUCN) in 1998. Pakistan earned Rs.2.24 billion from fish
exports

Mangroves ecosystem in the Indus delta has been adversely affected in the recent years because of over
exploitation of coastal resources due to coastal population increase, pollution and acute scarcity of
freshwater from river Indus due to diversion of water for inland agriculture, coastal urbanization and
industrialization. The situation is exacerbated by a general lack of education and awareness of
sustainable use, on the part of communities, policy makers and implementers. Indus delta mangroves
are dependent on freshwater discharge for their survival. Historically, abundant freshwater discharge
and nutrient rich sediment load was conductive to a highly productive ecosystem including mangroves
stands. With gradual and continuing reduction of discharge from the Indus, not only the transport of
sediments to Indus delta mangrove has decreased, but also with the average annual rainfall being
extremely low (221mm), and in some years, virtually no rain at all; availability of freshwater to Indus
delta mangroves has been extremely curtailed. This combined phenomenon has put most severe
environmental stress on the mangroves. Indus Delta at present receives the least amount of freshwater,
leading to disruption to the ecological balance and loss of biodiversity.

Loss of mangrove forests has environmental and socio-economic consequences including:

1. Reduced reproduction and procurement of commercially important fish.

2. Loss of livelihood, impoverishment and declining health of communities, particularly

women, children and elders dependent on fish and fish-based products as a primary source of
sustenance.

3. Reduced availability of wood for use by local communities.

4. Loss of faunal and floral biodiversity.

5. Silting up the navigational channels and ports and harbors and

6. Deprivation of local communities of the traditional use.

After commercialization the fishers and livestock. Ships became modernized (factory ships) and started
deep sea fishing these ships do target fishing for aim of high profits. they dump 90 per of fishes captured
back into the sea. These ships control 52 per of fishing and livestock around the world but they produce
a lot of waste, In 2007 government of Pakistan gave 42 licenses for deep sea fishing, they captured
50,000 metric tons of carrel fish per annual and wasted 400,000 metric tons of others fishes species into
the sea water. This cause wastage in sea waters, overfishing, traditional fisherman moved to other
settlements to find new jobs (family fishing died out). Capital intensity taking over the labor intensity
putting women out of labor force because of demand for better packages to export to European
countries.
Women in this regard has played important role they started moving out of there homes to educate
themselves and to find employment. 1989 there was no women education, they usually do family
fishing, making carts for fishes and making nets to catch fishes. but with the help of “Ibrahim hedari
welfare association” started first primary and secondary school for women education and not only
education but also health of women because they have more responsibilities them their men.

the last but not the least issue discussed, was a diplomatic issue between Pakistani and Indian sea
border. Because of polluted water fishes moved to words deep sea and fishermen also had to far away
from land to catch fishes. Sometimes they cross the Pakistani border in search for fish as the water on
both sides are same. They get capture by bordering country and kept in jails for years. This happen
because of poor diplomatic relations between both countries. Recently Pakistan has released 300 Indian
fishermen whom had mistakenly crossed the Indian water as a good gesture to India. This started after
the war of 1965. Strong relationship should to maintain to gain mutual interests has fishermen of both
countries suffer from this.

Visit to House: The house we visited was consist of total 8 members. A husband and wife,
3 husband’s brother, 2 husband’s sisters, a daughter and a nephew. Amazingly we found that the head of
the family is women which we usually not found in many Pakistani Societies. While having conversation
with them we came to know that the financial conditions of the family is becoming worst as the days
pass and we estimated it through their earning sources, having a family comprising of 8 members there
were only 2 people who were participating in income generation process. The uncle whose age was
around 55-60 years went on harbor to work on somebody else boat and got 200-300 RS per day. Which
was not fixed sometimes not having work he didn’t get his income. His nephew who got job just 2 days
before the day we were interviewing them, he got the job on 12000 RS per month in the MASCO
(Garment Factory). They have around 20000 RS Monthly family income which is not enough to fulfill
basic family needs. They gave multiple reasons for having decline in their income generation with the
time. The most prominent reason was decline in the fishing rate due to overfishing, polluted harbor and
other reasons. The lowering rate of fishing is directly impacting the income of the local fishermen and
their standard of living. The other reason that he was working on somebody else boat, while some time
ago the family owns 3 boats which they sold out due to some family issues. Having more conversation
with them when we asked them about the how much education they have, so they didn’t have any
secular education even their daughter and nephew did not have proper schooling. Their daughter never
went to school while nephew was having only middle school education after which he left his studies.
We also asked them about what societal issues they think their community is facing now. The problems
are Drugs abuse is increasing day by day specially in younger generation boys. they use to earn little
amount of money and waste all those on drugs instead of helping their families. As well as the number
of male students has decrease in schools over time and number of female attending schools has
increased. No fresh water supply resulting affecting their health badly. Lack of income generation
resources because the local fishermen is now having lower income so people want to switch their
profession but due to not having resources they are not able to do so because in nearby area there is
only one or two factories are situated if they got any job outside the vicinity of Ibrahim Hyderi they have
to travel to other parts of city which ultimately increase their traveling cost and time consumption as
well, instead of improving their lifestyle they ends in by trapping more into vicious circle of poverty. All
the above-mentioned problems are increasing their living cost which are more dangerous to them.
We also found an interesting fact about this family that the boy name Ali has represented Pakistan in
many international events of football in USA, Norway, Qatar, Dubai and London but because not having
much support from government he is now have work in factory to fulfill his family needs. But after
having brief analysis of this family I think they have opportunities which help them to fight against
poverty and education is one them. Like when we asked the head of the family that Does she knows how
to stitching or Karhai on cloths the answer was yes but when we asked the same question from her
daughter that does she knows all this work, so answer was no. The female work force participation is
very important for any community to increase their living standard if she knows and learn all this work
she can easily help her family. While talking to Ali we asked him why he did not pursue his career in
football he said after my knee surgery I was bed rest, so I was not able to play but now I got some offer,
but I didn’t go so we asked why? He answered that on that time I didn’t have support from any
government and private institutions that’s why now I don’t want to go. He can generate extra income by
using this skill in a rightful manner. No one in the family have proper formal education however the
facility of operational government school is present in their area, but they are not benefitting from it. So
in my views proper counselling of how to manage resources can help them to improve themselves and
the role of government is very important for the development of any community.

Visit to Harbor: The Ibrahim Hyderi fishing harbor is around 300-400 years old serving
main source of income through fishing of around 150,000 people. Having such a big population and
revenue generation for government is still lack of basic facilities and people living here are also trap in
poverty. Basic facilities like navigation, warning system, proper maintenance, storage facilities and roads
heading over to harbor are not even in proper conditions. I saw no government policies or regulations
were present. Big boats do have warning system, but their range are limited other than this small boats
doesn’t have proper warning system they were informed by different boats in the sea if they found them
when they are returning. No proper safety equipment was present in the boats. The biggest problem
which local fishermen faces is that they didn’t know the boundaries within sea and many of the time
they crossed the border and being arrested, and their family didn’t know where they are for the years.
No proper storage facilities which results in loss in their profits due to fish got rotten. Increasing cost of
making boats are also discouraging local fishermen to own new boats results in their assets are
decreasing day by day. Fishermen are still using old methods which is affecting their income. Also
commercialize fishing have higher capacity for storing and local fishermen have less capacity so their
income is affected. Government policies should be made in order to help these local fishermen to
continue their profession otherwise they will trap more and more in the poverty circle. Also
commercialize fishing in terms of technological advancement is badly affecting fishing industry in terms
of overfishing and too much wastage. Proper roads towards harbor will also help fishermen to take their
fishes in short period of time so they can earn more money.