Islamabad: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has urged a greater recognition of traditional ecological knowledge held by coastal communities, highlighting its potential to enhance climate adaptation, marine conservation, and sustainable fisheries.

According to Press Information Department, the minister’s statement came in observance of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, under the United Nations’ 2026 theme, “Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being.” He emphasized the importance of traditional and Indigenous knowledge systems and their transmission across generations, which provide insights into tides, fishing grounds, marine species, weather patterns, mangroves, and coastal ecosystems.

Chaudhry noted that communities along Pakistan’s coast, from Karachi and the Indus Delta to Gwadar and Jiwani, depend heavily on fisheries, mangroves, wetlands, and marine resources. These communities face challenges such as urbanisation, pollution, habitat degradation, freshwater shortages, saline intrusion, and changing fisheries.

The minister advocated for integrating local fishers’ detailed knowledge of tidal cycles, currents, winds, fishing seasons, and marine species changes with scientific research to improve fisheries management, ecosystem restoration, and disaster preparedness. He stated that modern science and traditional ecological knowledge should complement each other to strengthen formal climate and marine policies.

Highlighting the impact of climate change on traditional livelihoods, Chaudhry called for community-based adaptation measures, stronger early-warning systems, climate-resilient coastal infrastructure, and sustainable fisheries management. He stressed the importance of involving coastal communities in resource-related decisions, asserting that conservation policies are more effective when local people are considered partners.

Chaudhry concluded by affirming the government’s commitment to initiatives that bolster coastal resilience and ensure traditional knowledge and community participation are integral to Pakistan’s maritime and climate policy.