KARACHI - Provincial Minister for Fisheries Zahid Ali Bhurgari said on Tuesday that due to lack of awareness and unavailability of state-of-the-art technology for storage of shrimp has caused huge financial losses to the fishing sector. He said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of Advanced Training Course in Shrimp Hatchery Management being conducted under the auspices of Fisheries Development Board. The course will continue up to 23rd July with the collaboration of Sindh Fisheries Department and Pakistan Fisheries Research Institute here at a local hotel. Zahid Bhurgari was the chief guest at the ceremony, while government officials including Dr. Nasim Akhtar, Chief Executive of Fisheries Development Board (FOB), Chief Secretary Sindh Fazalur Rahman, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Secretary Sindh Livestock and Fisheries Department, Dost Mohammad Baloch, Secretary Coastal Development and Fisheries Government of Balochistan, Director General Marine Fisheries Department, Karachi, Managing Director, Korangi Fish Harbour Authority, Karachi, and other stakeholders, fisheries officials, private fish shrimp farmers and fishermen were also present on the occasion. The Minister said that the fishing industry is the second biggest sector in the country but previous governments had ignored it and never taken any initiative to further improve it while the private sector has also done nothing for its development as well. He said that the present government for the first time has taken the initiatives to improve the fishing sector; he added that if the fishing sector further develops, it would not only earn more revenues but provide opportunities of more jobs as well. Unemployment is one of the big challenges for the current government, he added. He said that due to unawareness and unavailability of the modern techniques and resources thousands of tons of fish are being spoiled. He said that if this damage in shape of spoiling of thousands of tons of fish, owing to not have new technologies had averted, the fishing sector and government would have got billions of rupees. He said that his ministry has sent a summery to Chief Minister to allocate the two thousands acres land for establishing a training centre for the local fishermen in which they would be trained and educated for fishing in modern way and also to save tunas, he also hoped that very soon the government will approve the summary. Speaking on the occasion, Dost Mohammad Baloch offered land in Balochistan to the Sindh government to establish such projects. He said that the government has to do more for the betterment of the fishing community and for the sector. Earlier, Dr. Nasim Akhtar introduced the participants about the Fisheries Development Board and Aquaculture and Shrimp Farming project. Director of the programme, Allah Raka Asif, gave a presentation on the occasion. The CEO, FOB told the participants about role of FOB in the Development of Fisheries Sector in Pakistan. He said the Fisheries Development Board will establish eleven Model Fish shrimp Farms, nine hatcheries will be established or rehabilitated, cage culture will be introduced at five sites in different reservoirs, setting of six state-of-the-art fish markets, support up to 20 per cent to private sector for establishment of shrimp farms, cages, establishment of ponds, raceways for trout culture. PPI adds: On the occasion, Dr Nasim Akhtar said that the Fisheries Development Board (FDB) will establish 11 model fish/shrimp farms, and nine hatcheries to boost the fisheries sector in Pakistan.