Fishing at newly developed coastal facilities is improving the livelihoods of local communities, as two state-of-the-art fishing jetties in the coastal towns of Surbandar and Pishukan, developed by the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA), have come into use in recent times. These modern jetties offer free unloading services for fishermen’s daily catch, valued at millions of rupees, significantly enhancing operational ease and reducing costs for the fishing community, Gwadar Pro reported on Monday.

According to GDA’s statement, the initiative is not only supporting the welfare of local fishermen but also catalyzing job creation, business growth, and economic activity. The development marks a key step in bolstering Gwadar’s coastal economy and advancing Pakistan’s national blue economy agenda. In line with these efforts, besides the federal government, the provincial government of Balochistan has allocated funding in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2025-26 for various fisheries-related initiatives aimed at improving the sector and supporting fisherfolk livelihoods.

The “Development of Fisheries Training Center Gwadar (Devolved)”, a Government of Balochistan project with a total cost of Rs344.934 million, has seen Rs183.27 million spent up to June 2025. For the current fiscal year, Rs22.334 million has been earmarked under Balochistan’s PSDP 2025-26.

Another key initiative, “Basic Infrastructure Development for Balochistan Fisheries Department”, has already utilized Rs35 million, with an additional Rs13 million allocated in the current PSDP 2025-26.

To support vessel maintenance and reduce operational downtime, the Balochistan Government has also launched the “Establishment of Boat Repairing Workshop and Provision of Boat Engine Spare Parts on Subsidized Rates”, which is a Rs300 million project, with Rs10 million allocated in PSDP 2025-26.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China