Pakistan lands $3m GEF grant to reform fisheries and protect marine ecosystems

Lahore (Monitoring Desk) : Pakistan has obtained $3 million in funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to advance marine biodiversity conservation and sustainable fisheries management under the Marine Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (MEBA) project, the Climate Change Ministry announced on Saturday.

The funding will be provided through the GEF Trust Fund for a project titled “Conserving marine biodiversity by accelerating transition to sustainable and regenerative fisheries management practices”, which will be executed by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs with support from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.

The minister said the project aligns with national priorities and global environmental commitments and was developed in consultation with stakeholders. He noted that “of the total funding from the GEF Trust Fund, $1.2 million targets biodiversity interventions, while $1.8 million addresses land degradation linked to coastal and marine ecosystems.”

Chaudhry highlighted challenges facing Pakistan’s fisheries sector, including overfishing, high post-harvest losses and illicit practices that strain marine environments, and said these issues have hindered sustainable development in the sector.

He pointed out that “with 701 boats in tuna fishing, mostly artisanal with some semi-industrial, unselective methods and poor onboard storage lead to waste and lost market opportunities.”

The minister said the programme aims to address gaps by enhancing data collection, improving policy frameworks, upgrading infrastructure, building capacity, increasing market access and strengthening transparency and management practices.

Pakistan is a member of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and part of the G16 like-minded coastal states, but the fisheries sector suffers from unreliable data, weak regulations and more than 70 unofficial landing sites that complicate monitoring, control and policy-making, according to Chaudhry.