The community primarily depends on natural resources. The following natural
resources were identified and prioritized by the local community.
SEA / COAST:
These are perhaps the earths greatest natural resource, with life from tiny plankton to huge whales. More than 90% of the living biomass is found in the sea or ocean. The living resource under ocean and sea has not yet been fully explored. The invertebrate fauna include protozoan, coelenterates, annelids, mollusks, crustaceans and echinoderms. Fish, reptiles, mammals and birds represent the vertebrate fauna in which fish is the major group. Marine flora also 7 shows high diversity. Sonmiani is a bay on Balochistan coast and the total area of the bay is 125.25 sq. km and the shelf adjacent to it is 80 km wide1.
FISHERY:
Marine fish is the major natural resource of the area, on which the livelihood of the community depends. More than 350 species of fish are known to exist. Marine fishing is an important activity in the area. More than 90% of the population earns an income through fishing or fishing related activities. Shrimping is also carried out in shallow waters and shrimp trawling grounds are located in Miani Hor/ Sonmiani bay. Karachi is the main market of fish and shrimp catch in Miani Hor. Balochistan Fisheries Department Statistics shows that in the year 2003, a total of about 11,000 metric tons of fish was caught in this area, which was about 9% of the total catch on Balochistan coast (about 12,000 metric tons). The main categories of fishery resources are small pelagics and demersal fishes, sharks, shrimps, lobsters and crabs. Fishery can be divided into three classes, large scale fishing, medium scale fishing and small scale fishing. Small boats do small scale fishing within 5 km radius.
WATER BIRDS:
The site is important for large concentration of water birds including migratory and resident population. More than 20,000 birds representing 52 species usually visit Sonmiani/Miani Hor in winters. The area is one of the designated Ramsar sites in Pakistan. The area is also included in to Global 200 eco-regions of WWF, means the area is representing a globally outstanding example of major habitat types. It is a part of the Arabian Sea Eco-region (#232). The water birds that are found in the area include grebes, pelicans, cormorants, flamingos, egrets, herons, storks, ibises and spoonbills, cranes, coots, shore birds (waders), gulls and terns.
AGRICULTURAL LANDS :
Practically, agriculture is non-existent in Sonmiani but the community has some land in the south of the village where in the rainy season some pulses and vegetables are grown. It is said that agriculture was done in the past along Winder River but the river has changed its path and has engulfed the land of the community. Further, due to drought and scarcity of freshwater, agriculture is not practiced. However, some locals grow castor oil in July, when there is little rainfall.
MANGROVE FOREST :
Mangrove forest has a great economic and ecological significance. It is the habitat of a diverse community of organisms ranging from bacteria and fungi to fish, shrimps, birds, reptiles and mammals. It provides fuel wood and fodder for domestic animals of the local communities. The mangrove forest in Miani Hor is spread over an area of about 2500 ha, which represents 42% of total cover of mangrove forest in Balochistan. It is the only area in Pakistan where three species of mangroves i.e. Avicennia marina, Ceriops tagal and Rhizophora mucronata grow in natural condition.
MEADOWS / PASTURE GRAZING GROUND :
Grasslands like meadows and pastures are used as grazing grounds for livestock. Where there is extensive pasture, livestock rearing is one of the major activity of the rural community. Over a period of time, losses/decrease in the grazing ground has been significant in Sonmiani area. Previously, there had been livestock grazing grounds along Winder River near Sonmiani, on which Tamarix, Prosopis cineraria and grasses used to flourish. The area has now been taken over by Mesquite and also affected by drought. Most of the livestock grazing habitat/sites have now disappeared. Appropriate measures are needed to be put into place to rehabilitate grazing sites to encourage livestock rearing as a source of alternate livelihood.
LIVESTOCK :
Some of the local people keep goats, buffaloes, cows and donkeys. They get milk from goats, buffaloes and cows, while donkeys and camels are used for transportation. There are about 1200 goats, 100 cows/buffaloes, 50 camels and 500 donkeys altogether in the area. Local people keep livestock inside the house as well as outside of their houses. They buy fodder for their livestock from Winder. Majority of people do not prefer to keep livestock due to fodder scarcity and excessive decline of meadows.
FRESH WATER :
The only source of freshwater is Winder River but that depends upon rainfall. There has also been decline in the underground water level. The rainfall is very scanty. The area mainly receives freshwater input from a number of seasonal streams rising in the hills of Eastern Balochistan to the North. The potable water is supplied by Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) through pipeline from Winder. There is a storage tank where water is stored for distribution to the villages.
LAKES :
There is only one natural lake in the vicinity known as Siranda Lake. It is a shallow brackish lagoon, separated from Sonmiani Bay to the west by a series of sand dunes. Its total area is about 2700 ha. The lake is fed by local run off and possibly seepage of seawater through the dunes. Water level fluctuates widely and in some years the lake dries out completely. It is an important wintering area for water birds including flamingos, ducks (particularly shelduck) and coots. The lake is a hunting resort for shikaris. If the lake is managed properly then there is likelihood of getting fish from the lake as well as generating opportunities for locals through eco-tourism development.
SAND DUNES :
Sand dunes occur throughout the world on coast and are in majority arid desert regions. The sand is used commercially for many purposes elsewhere but the local community of Sonmiani is unaware of its utilization on commercial basis. There are about 12,698 ha of area covered by sand dune (Rasool et al, 2000). The sand dunes on the coast are encroaching the mangrove forests, thus covering the forest area.
SHELLS:
Molluscan shells are used to make artificial ornaments and many types of decoration pieces. A variety of gastropod and pelecypod shells are available that could be used for making ornaments or decoration pieces. But the locals lack knowledge of proper marketing; values of these resources, hence these resources are not being utilized at all.
DOLPHINS:
Hump backed dolphin and bottle nosed dolphin are commonly observed in the Hor. The people are however unaware of its importance but it could be a source of income if local people are trained to organize dolphin watch trips for tourists/visitors. The proper season for dolphin watch is from October through March.
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, only a few people work for government departments (e.g. fisheries, electricity and education) or are involved in trade. According to Balochistan Fisheries Department Statistics (2003), there are 5,610 fishermen (3,320 fulltime, 1,490 part time and 800 occasional fishermen) in the area. There are 104 mechanised boats fitted with inboard engine, 672 motorised boats fitted with outboard engine, 03 sail boats without engine and 42 Life boats with inboard engine in the area. The community spends whatever they earn and there is nonexistence of saving habits. Further, they are also indebted by loans taken from moneylenders. Most of the population is only acquainted with fishing and unable to switch to new trades.
