ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is expected to earn up to $200 million as it receives its first-ever tuna fishing quota from an international body, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). The quota allows Pakistan to catch 25,000 metric tons of tuna, including 15,000 tons of Yellowfin Tuna and 10,000 tons of Skipjack Tuna.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, called this a major breakthrough. He said the international prices of tuna range between $5 and $7 per kilogram, and earnings could be even higher with proper processing and exports.
Although Pakistan already catches over 45,000 tons of tuna every year, much of it is outside the formal economy due to weak regulations. The government is now introducing reforms to make the sector more organised and profitable. These steps include the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, which aims to unify various rules and promote environment-friendly fishing practices.
The Minister also announced that, for the first time, a senior Pakistani official has been elected as Chair of the IOTC’s Standing Committee on Administration and Finance — a major step in increasing Pakistan’s influence in international tuna management.
To protect ocean life, harmful fishing methods like gillnetting and trawling will be replaced with selective longline fishing, which reduces the capture of unwanted sea animals and supports ocean health.
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is a UN-backed group of 30 countries that manages tuna fishing in the Indian Ocean through scientific research, quotas, and sustainable fishing rules.
