ISLAMABAD: (Staff Reporter) – Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has said Pakistan’s fish and seafood exports recorded a 74.4 per cent increase in value during the first quarter of the current fiscal year, reaching $125.4 million compared with $71.9 million during the corresponding period of 2024-25.
He said the sharp rise in export earnings highlighted the growing economic potential of Pakistan’s marine fisheries sector as the country seeks to strengthen its blue economy.
According to the minister, export volume also increased by 74.8 per cent over the three-year period, rising from 35,294 metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2024-25 to 61,679 metric tonnes during the same period of 2026-27.
Fish exports were recorded at $93.28 million in the first quarter of 2025-26 before climbing to $125.4 million in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.
In terms of volume, exports increased from 35,294 metric tonnes in Q1 2024-25 to 43,995 metric tonnes in Q1 2025-26 and reached 61,679 metric tonnes in Q1 2026-27.
Junaid Chaudhry said both export value and volume had registered substantial growth over the past three years, with export earnings broadly keeping pace with the increase in shipment volumes.
He described fisheries as a vital part of Pakistan’s coastal economy, providing livelihoods to fishing communities while generating valuable foreign exchange through exports of fish and other marine products.
The minister appreciated the performance of the Marine Fisheries Department, particularly its record export earnings of $568 million during FY2025-26.
He also highlighted the opening of new international markets, particularly Russia, for Pakistani fisheries products as a significant development for the sector.
Junaid Chaudhry said initiatives to resume shrimp exports to the United States, coupled with the revival of the fishing licensing regime in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone, would support the sustainable utilization of the country’s marine resources.
He stressed the need to overcome institutional, technical and capacity-related challenges to further increase fish and seafood exports to high-value international markets, particularly the European Union.
The minister also called for the revival and restoration of the Fisheries Training Centre of the Marine Fisheries Department to strengthen human resources, improve professional and technical standards and ensure compliance with international fisheries and seafood safety requirements.
He said improving the capacity of fishermen, skippers, fisheries professionals and other stakeholders across the supply chain would help enhance the quality, safety and traceability of Pakistani seafood.
Such measures, he added, would also strengthen the competitiveness of Pakistan’s fisheries products in international markets.
Junaid Chaudhry reiterated the government’s commitment to modernizing the fisheries sector, promoting sustainable marine resource management, expanding international market access and increasing the sector’s contribution to Pakistan’s economy.
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