// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Sonmiani Bay say to the shore? Let's sea what happens.
| Sonmiani Bay | |
|---|---|
 Mangroves and fishing boats at Sonmiani Bay near Damb | |
  Sonmiani Bay Location in Pakistan  Sonmiani Bay Sonmiani Bay (Pakistan) | |
| Location | Lasbela District, Balochistan, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 25°10′0″N 66°30′0″E / 25.16667°N 66.50000°E |
Sonmiani Bay is situated along the eastern edge of the Makran Coast, on the shores of Lasbela and Hub districts in Balochistan, Pakistan, northwest of Karachi.[1] The bay is sometimes described as marking the northernmost point of the Arabian Sea.[2] It is named after the village of Sonmiani, just north of the Winder River delta. To the northwest, it adjoins the Miani Hor lagoon, a shallow and ecologically rich estuarine system, separated from the bay by a peninsula of sand dunes.
Physical and Ecological Features
[edit]The bay's shores are lined with mudflats, sandy beaches, and mangrove forests, which provide habitats for marine and bird species and help protect the coast.[3][4] Local fishing communities depend on the bay for both artisanal and commercial fishing, with common catches including shrimp, crab, pomfret, and mackerel.[1]
Fishing and Livelihoods
[edit]Fishing has long been an important livelihood for communities around Sonmiani Bay.[1] Siltation at the Winder delta has since changed access to traditional fishing grounds. Windar and Sonmiani together host at least 15 fishmeal processing plants.[5] The bay is also home to rare dolphin species and, occasionally, whales.[6][7]
Conservation and Environmental Challenges
[edit]Miani Hor, connected to the bay, is designated as a Ramsar Wetland of international importance for its role as a breeding and migratory habitat for birds and a nursery for fish.[8][9] The bay itself has no such protected status, and faces growing pressure from overfishing, mangrove degradation, pollution from nearby settlements and industry, and unregulated coastal development.
Non-governmental organisations and the Balochistan Forests & Wildlife Department have raised concerns about these pressures.[10][11]
The bay also has strategic and industrial significance. Its coastal area hosts the Sonmiani Spaceport, the primary launch facility of Pakistan's national space agency SUPARCO, and the Pakistan Air Force uses the nearby range for live-fire demonstrations and training.[12][13] The nearby Gadani Ship Breaking Yard adds maritime pollution to the bay,[14] and since 2018 the Economic Coordination Committee (Pakistan) has directed feasibility studies into a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Sonmiani.[15]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Baloch, Allah Bukhsh; Kazmi, Q.B. (April 2007). "A preliminary study of the Thukri net fishery in Sonmiani Bay" (PDF). International Journal of Biology and Biotechnology. 4 (Special Issue): 83–87. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ Jacobs, Frank (30 January 2023). "The world's longest straight line connects Portugal to China". Big Think. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ "Balochistan's heavenly Sonmiani Beach". arynews.tv. ARY News. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ Ilyas, Faiza (5 August 2015). "Flamingo chicks dying in captivity". dawn.com. Dawn. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ Khan, Aamir Shafaat (22 July 2017). "Fish exports up by 21pc". dawn.com. Dawn. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ Moeen, Heba (12 April 2020). "Ecology: Pakistan's Original Dolphin Force". dawn.com. Dawn. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ "Fishermen drag dead whale to Karachi shore". dawn.com. Dawn. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ "Pakistan designates eight new Ramsar sites". Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ "Miani Hor IMMA". marinemammalhabitat.org. Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ Ali, Sheharyar (26 December 2016). "Jellyfish influx threatens fishermen's business". tribune.com.pk. The Express Tribune. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ Ilyas, Faiza (12 July 2008). "KARACHI: Marine protected areas status suggested for nine sites". dawn.com. Dawn. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ "Army chief witnesses weapons firing at exercise". dawn.com. Dawn. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ "PAF conducts live-fire demo at Sonmiani". tribune.com.pk. The Express Tribune. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ Hasan, Shazia (2 November 2016). "11 dead in oil tanker blast at Gadani ship-breaking yard". dawn.com. Dawn. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ "Govt to lay 310km pipeline to connect LNG terminal with Nawabshah". nation.com.pk. The Nation. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2026.