Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has announced that Pakistan’s tuna sector is set for a $200 million boost following global quota allocations and regulatory reforms.
For the first time, Pakistan has secured a tuna fishing quota of 25,000 metric tons from the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), comprising 15,000 tons of Yellowfin Tuna and 10,000 tons of Skipjack Tuna, according to an official press release. These quotas are aligned with climate-conscious fisheries management principles aimed at protecting marine biodiversity and reducing pressure on ocean ecosystems.
“This is a landmark achievement that promises significant foreign exchange earnings,” the Minister said. “With international prices for these tuna species ranging between $5 and $7 per kilogram, and potentially higher with value-added processing, the economic potential is enormous.”
Calling the development “a turning point for Pakistan’s tuna sector,”Junaid Anwar Chaudhry noted that although the country currently catches more than 45,000 metric tons of tuna each year, much of this high-value resource has been escaping the formal economy due to unregulated operations.
To capture the full economic value of the resource, the Minister highlighted “a series of reforms have been launched”, including the introduction of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, aimed at unifying fragmented regulatory frameworks while promoting environmentally sound and revenue-generating fishing techniques.
“This policy framework supports Pakistan’s obligations under international climate and marine conservation agreements”, the Federal Minister stated.
The Minister highlighted a major milestone for Pakistan, announcing that for the first time in the 28-year history of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), a senior official from Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs has been elected as Chair of its Standing Committee on Administration and Finance, a significant step in strengthening Pakistan’s role in global tuna governance.
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is an intergovernmental body comprising 30 member countries, established under the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Its mandate is to manage tuna and related species in the Indian Ocean by promoting sustainable use through scientific research, quota distribution, and regulatory frameworks.
As part of broader adaptation efforts, the Minister said the destructive fishing methods such as gillnetting and trawling are being phased out replacing them with more selective and environmentally friendly longlining techniques.—APP
