Pakistan's Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has announced a 10-year national action plan for shark conservation, aimed at restoring declining populations and promoting sustainable fisheries in Pakistani waters by 2035. The plan, which will be implemented in three phases with an estimated $3.8-$5m funding during its first five years, includes measures such as fins-naturally-attached policies, species-specific protections, and mangrove restoration. The National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks is expected to benefit not only sharks but also other elasmobranch species in Pakistani waters. According to a 2021 assessment by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan, shark landings in Pakistan decreased by over 85% in five decades.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-08,
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Story summary
Pakistan's Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced the country's first national action plan for shark conservation, a 10-year plan called the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (NPOA). The plan aims to restore declining shark populations, curb illegal finning and bycatch, protect critical marine habitats, and promote sustainable fisheries in Pakistani waters through 2035. To achieve this, the plan will be implemented in three phases with an estimated funding of $3.8 million to $5 million over its first five years. The plan also seeks to improve data collection and scientific research on shark populations, as well as strengthen fisheries management and enforcement. Among the proposed measures are mandatory fins-naturally-attached policies, species-specific protections, shark sanctuaries, and mangrove restoration. The plan will be overseen by a multi-stakeholder National Advisory Committee. This marks an important step in protecting Pakistan's marine ecosystem and promoting sustainable fishing practices.
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Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Tuesday announced the country’s first national action plan for shark conservation.
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Chaudhry → announce → conservation
The 10-year National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (NPOA) will seek to restore declining shark populations, curb illegal finning and bycatch, protect critical marine habitats and promote sustainable fisheries in Pakistani waters through 2035.
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Plan → seek → 2035
The plan is to be implemented in three phases, with an estimated $3.8 million to $5m in funding during its first five years.
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plan → implement → years
Chaudhry said the plan would be overseen by a multi-stakeholder National Advisory Committee.
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plan → say → Committee
The minister said the plan sought to “strengthen fisheries management and enforcement while improving data collection and scientific research on shark populations”.
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plan → say → populations
Among the proposed measures are mandatory fins-naturally-attached policies, species-specific protections, shark sanctuaries, mangrove restoration and steps to reduce shark deaths as bycatch across fisheries.
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policies → propose → fisheries
The plan also seeks to improve the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities through targeted support, while encouraging sustainable shark fisheries and greater international cooperation, including through Pakistan’s participation in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.
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plan → seek → Commission
Chaudhry said the implementation would be assessed annually against performance indicators such as landing-site monitoring coverage, completion of stock assessments, use of vessel monitoring systems and reductions in bycatch mortality.
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implementation → say → mortality
Formal reviews would be carried out every three years.
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reviews → carry → ?
The plan covers all chondrichthyan species found in Pakistani waters, including sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras, with a particular focus on species targeted by fisheries or facing high levels of bycatch mortality.
“Although the primary emphasis is on sharks, the management frameworks, data collection systems and enforcement mechanisms established through the NPOA will also benefit other elasmobranch species,” the minister said.
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minister → cover → species
He said the action plan was tailored to Pakistan’s ecological, institutional and socio-economic conditions while remaining aligned with the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s International Plan of Action for Sharks and other international best practices.
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plan → say → Sharks
Chaudhry said preparation of the plan met Pakistan’s responsibilities as a shark-fishing nation under international fisheries law.
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preparation → say → law
The FAO’s international shark action plan encourages countries to develop national conservation and management plans, minimise waste and promote sustainable fishing practices, he added.
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he → encourage → practices
“Responsible management of marine resources must come first,” Chaudhry said, stressing the need for stronger safeguards for vulnerable shark species and those whose capture is prohibited.
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capture → come → species
According to a 2021 assessment by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P), shark landings in Pakistan decreased by over 85 per cent in five decades, which is more than the average decline in shark resources across the world.
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which → accord → world
WWF-P had suggested a ban on the catch of endangered shark species and the import and export of shark fins at the time.
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P → suggest → time
