October 5, 2009
EU unlikely to lift Pakistan seafood export ban
Prospects of EU lifting the ban on Pakistan's seafood exports seem dim as the inspection of the Karachi Fish Harbour's related facilities by officials could not take place on the deadline set for the last month.
According to sources in fisheries sector, the submission of an action plan, a prerequisite document to the EU, has come late enough to invite the union's inspectors to examine whether the state of the facilities at the harbour had been improved on the union's specifications.
Federal minister for Fisheries Humayon Aziz Kurd invited the EU's inspectors for examination of the fish harbour, seafood processing plant and fewer modified fishing boats latest by September this year. However, the deadline of September that was officially set passed with no headway of the ban removal.
EU imposed a ban in April 2007 on seafood imports from Pakistan for non-compliance of its terms, primarily sanitary issues.
According to fishermen, boat owners and seafood exporters, the Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) was lacking interest to work for lifting the ban.
