In recent years, fishing techniques have changed with fishing engineering becoming a major change agent. This increase in fishing engineering- which includes the design of fishing vessels, fish gear, aquaculture technologies, and methods of sustainable fishing is to the trends seen in the rest of the world where Pakistan is also expected to enhance its efficiency and responsible utilization of our sea resources about the fishing industry.
Technological advancements in the fishing industry are enhancing efficiency and value-added markets, addressing concerns about traditional fishing, and addressing domestic and international seafood demands.
What Is Fishing Engineering?
Fishing engineering is a field that focuses on improving fishing equipment, efficiency, and sustainable fishing methods. It involves studying fish behavior, designing new gear, and constructing aquaculture farms to enhance seafood catch, processing, and marketing.
In Pakistan, it includes modernizing trawlers and improving fish quality and yield.
The Value of Fishing in Pakistan
Fisheries is one of the prominent sources of income for many coastal people of Pakistan especially in the provinces of Sindh and Baluchistan where most of the marine and freshwater resources of the country are available. Fishing is one way through which Pakistan earns its foreign revenue through the exportation of fish and seafood to the Middle East and other European countries.
But the industry has experienced several problems such as technology, infrastructure, and overfishing. The necessity for changes constantly and to adjust to global benchmarks has never been higher and fishing engineering is a measure.
Important Factors on Growing Fish Engineering in Pakistan
Important factors are driving the rise of fishing engineering in Pakistan:
- Growing Consumption of Fish: The Pakistani fishing sector must meet the increasing demand for seafood and sustain quality. Fishing engineering offers tools to improve practices, guarantee stock sustainability, and provide better quality seafood, attracting strict market buyers.
- Sound Fishing Management System: Overfishing in the sea is a global issue, prompting the need for sustainable fishing engineering solutions to reduce species entrapment and habitat destruction, including selective fishing, escape panels, and vessel monitoring systems.
- Government and International Support: Pakistan’s government is investing in fishing development, with accreditations like food and agricultural organizations collaborating on sustainable fishing and providing engineering training courses.
Application of Fish Engineering in Pakistan
1. Vessel Modernization
Most of the fishing boats in Pakistan are old wooden boats with inadequate equipment; there are no or little navigational instruments, no reefer system, and no safety facilities and equipment to venture far from the coastal line.
Fishing engineering has made it possible to fashion sea fishing boats that are stronger and built to sustain more extended fishing trips, deeper waters, and better quality of catches. Fishing boats are more enhanced as they use GPS, sonar, and better compartments reducing spoilage and fishing hazards.
2. Aquaculture Development
With the ever-growing popularity of aquaculture or fish farming, it has become an important source of fish in Pakistan besides wild-caught fish. By such engineering solutions, fish farming techniques have been put in place to rear fish in tanks thus minimizing the pressure on the natural sources of fish stock.
Efforts are being made by engineers to develop better innovative ways of fish farming, feeding systems, quality control, and disease control which enhances the production of fish and other aquatic products.
3. Advanced Fishing Gear
Fishing engineering also targets the use of advanced and improved gears in fishing. Fisheries biologists have been improving nets, traps, and longline systems that increase catches without increasing bycatch – catching animals other than the target species.
For instance, “circle hooks kill fewer juvenile fish and allow species such as sea turtles to escape envelopment by the fishing gear in a process that is in tune with sustainable fishing practices which are mutually beneficial to the ecosystem and the fishing industry.
4. Technologies used for Cold Chain and Processing
For Pakistan to continue to be a contender in the export market the fish quality and freshness have to be of the highest quality. Fishing engineering solves this problem through innovative methods of refrigeration and processing technology that make fish remain fresh for a longer span.
Modern technology in fish preservation allows fishers to take seafood products to different markets throughout the world without spoiling them which opens up more markets for fishing in Pakistan.
Advantages of Fishing Engineering for Pakistan
1. Economic Growth
Fishing engineering, therefore helps support greater yield results and gross profit by enhancing the fishing efficiency and the reduction of wastage. Vessel improvements, equipment, and processing plants enable Pakistani fishers to enhance their yield value and penetrate additional export markets.
This growth of facilities and equipment can help to provide employment opportunities in coastal areas thereby increasing the business activity and strengthening the community.
2. Environmental Protection
3. Technological Advancement
Through fishing engineering, Pakistan also acquires new technological and innovation experiences, thus embracing a learning perspective. It also has engineers trained in fishing technology, which makes consistent enhancements in the produced technology and further expands Pakistan’s proficiency in this business in the future.
This growth of facilities and equipment can help to provide employment opportunities in coastal areas thereby increasing the business activity and strengthening the community.
Opportunities and Threats for the Fishing Engineering in Pakistan
Despite the progress, several challenges remain:
- Funding and Investment: In fishing engineering solutions, a lot of capital is needed hence it may be hard for such fishers and businesses that are on a small scale to invest. Though government and international support has been helpful more funds and capital are needed to vigorously and comprehensively modernize.
- Training and Education: Fishing engineering is a unique discipline and Pakistan does not have a strong background in this field in terms of trained human resources. Additional educational workshops and courses as well as offering a traineeship program to the fishers and engineers are needed to foster local capability.
- Infrastructure Development: Enhancing fishing engineering infrastructure is paramount to cater to the growth and development of fishing engineering. Infrastructure related to ports, cold storage, and transportation networks concerning seafood have to be enhanced considerably.
