Fish waste. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
The use and disposal of plastic bags during fishing has emerged as a growing threat to marine life along Karachi’s coast, with large amounts of waste being dumped into the sea, raising concerns about environmental damage and ecological imbalance.
This practice has been widely observed at Ibrahim Hyderi and other fishing piers where plastic bags are used to handle and transport fish catch. Large fishing boats carry bulk plastic bags to store delicate fish during transport to land.
The bags are used to protect sensitive species, especially squid and cuttlefish, from damage caused by contact with other catch. Once the fish have been transferred from large boats to smaller vessels and transported to various jetties, the plastic bags are removed and instead of being properly disposed of, they are thrown into the sea.
As a result, thousands of kilos of plastic waste are added to the ocean waters, posing a serious risk to fish, shrimp and other aquatic life. Experts warn that the accumulation of plastic waste contributes to ocean pollution and increases the risk of ecological disturbances.
Environmental specialists note that a single plastic bag can take up to 500 years to decompose. Over time, such waste breaks down into microplastics, tiny particles that enter the marine food chain and eventually become part of human consumption.
Fishermen operating in the area have urged the Sindh government to impose an immediate ban on taking plastic bags into the sea and ensure proper disposal mechanisms, warning that continued negligence could further damage marine ecosystems.
Kamal Shah of the Coastal Media Center also called for swift intervention, stressing that the issue requires immediate attention to protect marine resources and livelihoods of communities dependent on the sea.
Experts say plastic pollution has become a major global challenge affecting oceans, ecosystems and human health. WWF Pakistan technical advisor Muhammad Moazzam Khan said marine systems are already under pressure due to polluted water and other environmental stresses.
He explained that plastic bags, although seemingly insignificant, take centuries to break down and eventually turn into microplastics, which are consumed by marine organisms and later enter the human food chain.
Moazzam Khan added that fishermen carry plastic bags on the boats primarily to preserve the quality of delicate catch, as even minor damage can reduce its market value both nationally and internationally. He also noted that certain fish species release substances that previously created sludge-like conditions at jetties, making separate handling necessary.
