The fishing industry plays a significant part in the national economy of Pakistan. With a coastline of about , Pakistan has several fishery resources that have yet to be developed. Most of the coastal population of Sindh and Balochistan depends on fishing for their livelihood. It is also a major export.
The fishing industry is managed by the Fisheries Development Board (FDB) which is under the Ministry of National Food Security & Research, within the Government of Pakistan. The office of the FDB is responsible for promoting and managing Pakistan's fishing industry and coordinating with provincial fisheries departments and other national and international agencies, such as the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission. The marine subsector is overseen by Marine Fisheries Department (MFD).
The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) is engaged in the research of the industry. Some universities in the country are also involved in basic fisheries research.
Resources
Pakistan has many marine and inland fishery resources. The potential was historically estimated at 1 million tonnes/year from the marine subsector alone, but overfishing has reduced annual marine subsector production to approximately 0.51 million tons. Commercially important resources include nearly 250 demersal fish species, 50 small pelagic fish species, 15 medium-sized pelagic species and 20 large pelagic fish species. In addition, there are also 15 commercial species of shrimp, 12 of cephalopods and 5 of lobster. The effect of the Indus River Delta on the marine resources of the coastline of Sindh is substantial, as this river system has been transporting enormous quantities of nutrients and sediment to the continental shelf for centuries. Pakistan also has an extensive inland water areas system, which is mainly dominated by the Indus River. These water bodies, depending on their type, possess varying potential for development of the inland and aquaculture subsectors. Inland water bodies, like dams, water locks, reservoirs, rivers, lakes and ponds cover an area of approximately .
Marine populations Crustacean species fished in Pakistan include parapenaeopsis stylifera, penaeus merguiensis, portunus sanguinolentus and panulirus polyphagus. However, research has shown that commercial species of crustaceans, like shrimps and lobsters, are overexploited. Crabs, cephalopods and other molluscs are an unconventional resource. However, they may be a potential replacement, in the export market, for overfished crustaceans.
Demersal fish resources show signs of being exploited, and thus limited expansion is possible in future. There may be a possibility of expanding the catch of small pelagic fish by venturing further offshore, but fishermen would likely have to use new methods to do this. Some larger pelagic fish, especially skipjack tuna and its relatives, are available in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan, managed by the Karachi District. Fishing for these usually result in by-catches of marlin and shark species. Local fishing fleet commonly harvest Frigate mackerel, Indian mackerel, Spanish mackerel, barracuda and dolphinfish. As of 2025, these species are also being overfished relative to maximum sustainable yield level.
A large variety of mesopelagic fish exist just off the continental shelf and are barely exploited. These resources are prime candidates for conversion to fishmeal for use in poultry and aquaculture. However, Pakistan does not currently have the processing capability to make use of this resource.
Mussels, oysters, clams, seaweed, kelp, sea urchins and other marine resources also exist in Pakistan, but further research data is required in order to evaluate the feasibility of propagating the mariculture of these varieties.
Subsectors
Marine subsector Pakistan has a continental shelf area of and coastline length of . The total maritime zone of Pakistan is over 30% of the land area. The Indus River Delta is characterized by a meshwork of estuaries and creeks with mangrove forestry which serves as nursery grounds for species of finfish and shellfish.
Harbours
In 1958, the first modern fish harbour was constructed in the Karachi District. Later, the fleet expanded and is now mostly mechanized. Karachi Fish Harbour is the biggest and oldest harbour in Pakistan, used by all types of fishing boats. Currently more than 7,000 fishing craft are based in it. As of 2018, it had 25 processing facilities established. At present, it handles 90% of Pakistan's fish and seafood catches and 95% of fish and seafood exports. It is operated by the Provincial Government of Sindh.
The other major fish harbours of Pakistan are: Korangi Fish Harbour, operated by the Federal Ministry of Ports & Shipping, it was originally built to cater to deep sea fishing but now supports all types and, as of 2024, it served as home port for approximately 300 boats and has fourteen processing facilities. Pasni Fish Harbour, operated by the Provincial Government of Balochistan, it hosts small artisanal boats and large gillnetters. Originally designed to support 500 vessels, it has been affected by heavy siltation and has no active processing facilities. Gwadar Fish Harbour, operated by the Federal Ministry of Communication, it mostly caters to large gillnetters but has a pontoon for small artisanal boats. As of 2026, China has invested in the port and is building large processing facilities.
Methods Shrimp fishing Shrimp fishing is a major part of Pakistan's fishing industry, because of the foreign exchange it earns and employment it creates. It is only permitted in province of Sindh. Most shrimp is caught via trawling. Commercial shrimp trawling started in 1958, after the MFD introduced mechanization of larger fishing vessels. Now, almost all shrimp trawlers are equipped with winches for net hauling. However, shrimp is also caught using the cast net, which is locally termed . Shrimp fishing is mainly carried out in shallow depths, from October to March, and estuaries and brackish waters, from July to September. The catch is then processed and frozen for export to North American and European markets.
Tuna fishing Tuna fishing is another main sector of the industry, usually carried out by artisanal fishing. Usually, the fleet sends out gillnets in the evening and fetches them the next morning. The main target are the pelagic species, which have higher commercial values. The catch is exported frozen to Iran, through informal channels, for canning purposes. This fetches more profit than if exported to Sri Lanka in dried and salted form.
Benthic fishing Deep sea resources remain comparatively unexploited, because local vessels are neither suitable nor equipped for deep-water fishery. Some entrepreneurs have developed their own deep-sea fishing craft to make use of this resource. Small-scale benthic or demersal fishing is most common in coastal inshore waters. Fishermen use nylon gillnet, locally termed , with a mesh of about 150 mm long. Benthic varieties include the marine jewfish, croakers, grunters, snappers, groupers, ribbonfish and pomfrets.
Pelagic fishing A small-scale pelagic fishing industry is in operation in Sindh, using special nets, locally termed . Fishing is carried out from boats - wooden sailboats with pointed ends, a broad breadth and long-shaft outboard engine. In depths shallower than , shoals of clupeids, especially the Indian Oil Sardine, are caught. Such operations are mainly based at Ibrahim Hydri and Chashma Goth villages. Pelagic fishing takes place from October to November and February to April. The catch is the prime candidate for conversion into fishmeal.
Vessels In 2000, the number of docked fishery vessels was near 6,000. This increased to nearly 8,000, out of 29,100 total vessels, in 2018. The two main types of fishing craft are: Mechanized docked boats: As of 2018, here3were approximately 600 trawlers and 5550 gillnetters.registered Both are usually made of wood, according to traditional designs, and fitted with 80–220 hp diesel engines. The average length of a trawler is while that of a gillnetter is . For hauling, many trawlers have a transom stern. Gillnetters are pointed at both ends and the net is pulled over the side. Freezing vessels also operate in the EEZ and all their catch is exported. Mechanized sailboats: Made of wood and equipped with two or more outboard engines, but generally smaller than docked vessels, they are locally called boats. Most of these sailboats now operate in freshwater bodies. boats are custom-built fibreglass scrapped lifeboats, with an average length of m and 22–33 hp engines. These boats are able to function in depths of up to . As of 2016, there were approximately 12,000 active boats of this kind.
Inland subsector Freshwater fisheries are dominated by the Indus River and its tributaries. The northern part of the Indus system has cold-water fish, while the greater middle and southern parts of the system have warm-water fish. About 30 species are fished, including carp, tilapia and trout, and most inland-caught fish are consumed locally.
Fisheries in rivers and reservoirs account for more than 80% of total inland fish production. The riverine fishery management system is operated mainly by provincial fisheries departments. They enforce regulatory laws that restrict catch by size of fish and establish closed seasons. As of 2022, around 253,000 people were involved in the inland freshwater fishing industry.
Lakes
In Sindh alone, there are more than 100 natural lakes of different sizes, covering an area of about . Among these, Kinjhar Lake (), north of Thatta, and Manchar Lake (roughly ), in Dadu District, are the most important for fish production. However, fish stocks and thus fishing capacity has dwindled throughout the 21st century. Apart from these big lakes, a cluster of small lakes extend over . The natural lakes in Punjab cover about . Some of the lakes, such as Namal Lake (), Uchhali Lake (), Jahlar Lake (), Kallar Kahar Lake (), Kharal Lake () and Khabikki Lake () are brackish and are too saline to support capture fishery. Manmade reservoirs include the Mangla Dam reservoir, Tarbela Dam reservoir and Chashma Barrage reservoir.
Aquaculture subsector Aquaculture (fish farming) was introduced to Pakistan in the 1970s and is relatively undeveloped compared to its neighbors. However, there is immense potential for development of the sector. Aquaculture production has rapidly increased since the 2000s, growing from 12,485 tonnes in 2000 to 168,700 in 2023, and is now about 25% of Pakistan's total fishery output. Aquaculture has received a substantial amount of government investment, and facilities are now in place that can provide the basis for a major future expansion.
In Pakistan, the fish fauna is rich, but only seven warm water species and two cold water species have traditionally been cultivated on a commercial scale. As of 2025, carp accounted for 95% of Pakistan's aquaculture output. Other species groups farmed include trout and salmon, catfishes, tilapia, freshwater shrimps and perch-like fishes. Tilapia, shrimp and catfishes are newer additions to the aquaculture ecosystem.
Freshwater farming Freshwater carp farming is the major aquaculture activity in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The northern mountains of Pakistan have good potential for trout culture, but production is still very small. As of 2024, Pakistan had over acres of land dedicated to aquaculture: in Punjab, in Sindh, in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and in Balochistan. Almost 11,500 fish farms have been established across Pakistan. As of 2022, the average size ranged from . About 90,000 people are employed in the sector.