KARACHI: The Sindh government on Monday allowed all fishery-related activities to take place at the Karachi Fish Harbour with strict observance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by all relevant stakeholders.
According to the SOPS issued here, all the stakeholders would submit a written undertaking to the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) and they would strictly follow the government’s SOPs.
Mandatory preventive measures include the provision of masks, gloves and sanitizers to employees and labourers whereas the KFHA and Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) staff would monitor operations at the harbour.
Fish would not be offloaded and the crew would remain on the boat. The fish would be auctioned on the boat while one representative each from FCS, Mole holder/Beopari and only 3-5 purchasers would be allowed to be present during the auction. No more than five labourers would be allowed on each boat for offloading the fish after the auction.
After the auction, fish would be transported directly to processing plants.
Timings of landing for all types of boats would be between 6 pm to 6 am whereas the entire market area and jetties would be cleaned and sterilised by FCS once the auctions are over.
It may be mentioned here that only persons and vehicles authorised by the KFHA and FCS would enter the harbour premises. Entrance in the Export Zone shall only be allowed through walk-through sterilising gates installed by FCS. No vendor shall be allowed to enter the premises and no fish shall be put on the floor anywhere.
Further, more than four persons are not allowed in the harbour. Congestion of boats from harbour channels shall be removed immediately.
Processing plants owners would be responsible to operate their plants in different shifts.
Any person or stakeholder engaged in above permissible activity or operation found violating any of the instructions contained in this order shall be liable for action in accordance with law as per section 4 of the Sindh Epidemic Disease Control Act, 2014.
