Saving our Seas, Farming our Future: Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture for Pakistan

This policy brief titled ‘Saving our Seas, Farming our Future: Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture for Pakistan’ has been completed by The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) as part of “Grow More/Grow Better” pillar of its “Make-in-Pakistan” thrust. This policy brief analyzes the untapped potential of Pakistan’s seafood sector and proposes a strategic shift toward sustainable, high-value growth through inland aquaculture and improved marine resource management.

Pakistan’s seafood sector stands at a critical crossroads. Despite having a 1,050-kilometer coastline along the Arabian Sea, extensive inland water bodies, and favorable conditions for aquaculture, the industry remains underperforming and contributes less than 0.4% to national GDP. With global seafood demand rising — particularly for shrimp, tuna, and value-added products — Pakistan has an opportunity to transform its seafood industry into a high-growth, export-oriented sector.

However, decades of unregulated marine fishing, overexploitation of fish stocks, weak governance, and underinvestment in infrastructure have severely depleted marine resources and limited export competitiveness. According to recent stock assessments, 60% to 90% of Pakistan’s marine fish stocks are already overfished. Widespread use of illegal fine-mesh nets results in large-scale juvenile fish catch, further threatening future stocks. Poor enforcement and an informal trade structure dominated by middlemen have reinforced systemic inefficiencies.

Inland aquaculture offers Pakistan its most viable path for sustainable growth. Successful examples from pilot shrimp clusters show how saline or unproductive lands can be converted into productive shrimp farms using a cluster-based approach. Similar models have transformed aquaculture industries in countries like Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. Under this approach, creek-by-creek inland aquaculture clusters can be developed in Sindh and Balochistan, with government investing in land preparation, canals, and shared services while private partners handle operations, logistics, feed supply, and market access. Such models not only reduce pressure on marine fishing but also create stable, high-income livelihoods for smallholders.

Despite moderate growth in seafood exports — which reached $496 million in FY2022–23 — Pakistan remains highly dependent on limited markets like China. Export volumes have hovered around 200,000 metric tons in recent years but remain far behind competitors like India and Vietnam, whose seafood exports exceed $7 billion and $9 billion, respectively. Pakistan’s inability to meet international quality, certification, and traceability standards has blocked access to premium markets such as the European Union.

Pakistan can reposition its seafood sector by pursuing a dual-track strategy: (i) developing a long-term, science-based roadmap for sustainable marine resource management, and (ii) aggressively expanding inland aquaculture using a cluster-based public-private partnership model. With coordinated policy reform, public-private investment, and strong governance, Pakistan’s seafood sector has the potential to not only expand exports and earn foreign exchange, but also create inclusive rural employment, reduce pressure on marine resources, and build long-term sustainability.

The PBC is a private sector not-for-profit advocacy platform set-up in 2005 by 14 (now 100) of Pakistan’s largest businesses. PBC’s research-based advocacy supports measures which improve Pakistani industry’s regional and global competitiveness.