Karachi, Pakistan: Officials are confident the European Union’s ban on fish imports from Pakistan will be lifted in time for the new fishing season. The Marine Fisheries Department said it has worked with the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority to meet the Union’s standard operating procedures.
In March the EU declined, on security grounds, to send a team to Pakistan to verify the claims that conditions such as the modification of boats, hygiene at auction halls, cold chains and traceability of fish have improved.
The EU pinpointed three major flaws relating to hygiene, traceability and the cold chain throughout the transport cycle from harvesting to transfer of fish to auction halls and processing units.
The EU banned Pakistani seafood imports in April 2007. Pakistan’s seafood exports are valued at US$260m per year.
