Gwadar lobster loved by Pakistani, Chinese
KARACHI, Nov. 15 (Gwadar Pro) – A cargo flight loaded with a total of 9.25 tonnes of seafood from Pakistan arrived at the airport of Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Thursday.
Taking off from the Pakistani port city of Karachi, the cargo flight is scheduled to be operated once per week, reported by Xinhua.
The opening ceremony of 2019 Seafood Festival was held last week at Casbah, Beach Luxury Hotel’s restaurant which has 72 years history. The Festival will last until April 2020.
Lobster and other seafood resting over ice chips were in a little blue and white sail boat here. Their taste received unanimous praise from Pakistan and foreign guests.
Lobsters are found both on Pakistan’s southwest (Balochistan) and southeast coasts (Sindh). Important fishing grounds of lobsters are located along Ormara, Pasni Gwader and Jiwani besides Karachi coast.
Todate, 16 species of lobsters have been recorded from Pakistan. The only predominant commercial species is Panulirus polyphagus, which accounts for 83 percent of the catch.
According to Chen Baoliang, Chairman of Yufei International Fishing Ltd,. the quality of Pakistan lobster is almost the same to famous Boston Lobster.
His company built a branch company in Gwadar which is exporting seafood directly to Karamay city, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.
The seafood from Pakistan is welcomed very much by the people of that city and other cities of China. And the price is competitive too.
Three species of spiny lobsters, Panulirus polyphagus, Panulirus homarus and Panulirus versicolor, are of main commercial importance and are called kikat in local parlance.
Lobsters are found in rocky or reef habitat area in shallow coastal waters (up to a depth of 40m to 50m). Their fishery continues throughout the year with peak season between September and December.
The main breeding season is between January and May when a female lays eggs (about 70,000 to 800,000) depending upon her size.
According to the National Geographic website, female lobsters carry their eggs under their abdomens for up to a year before releasing them as larvae into the water.
The government data show robust lobster production and say lobster landing stood at around 1,300 metric tonnes in 2013, according to the Handbook of Fisheries Statistics 2013 compiled by marine fisheries department.
Pakistan’s blue economy has not been exploited accordingly.
Pakistan, on account of Balochistan’s coastal areas has the world’s sixth largest mangroves areas contributing annually US$ 4 billion to its export earnings.
