KARACHI: Fishermen at Seaview, Karachi, recently caught a significant haul of stingrays, locally known as “Ara” fish, using traditional net-fishing methods without boats in the Gizri area. Stingrays play a vital ecological role in marine environments and are predominantly caught using coastal and offshore gillnets across Pakistan.
While historically utilized for producing fishmeal in the poultry industry, the wings of these fish have been frozen and exported to Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia over the past decade. Pakistan’s annual catch of stingrays totals approximately 10,000 metric types (tons), with marine experts noting that around 38 distinct species inhabit the country’s coastal waters.
