W/African countries must end over $1.3bn annual loss to illegal fishing- Stakeholders
Following reports that maritime nations in West Africa lose over $1.3 billion annually to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing on their territorial waters, stakeholders have identified the need for these countries to put an end to the huge loss in the fishing industry.
According to statistics, Pan-African fish trade is worth about 20 billion Euros annually while business of fisheries and aquaculture has the capacity to provide jobs for millions of people.
Speaking recently in a forum in Abuja, Yakubu Dogara, speaker, House of Representatives called on West African countries to tighten their legal and regulatory framework to end losses. “We must intensify efforts to promote intra- African trade in fisheries as it will help to sustain African economies in the long term.
Dogara, who observed that developed countries have exploited aquatic resources to fast track development, said Africa needs to effectively use its water resources to feed its people, fight poverty and develop efficient ports system.
“We can create high paying jobs for our teeming youths; develop an efficient transportation system; exploit oil and gas and other minerals resources contained in the deep seas and oceans of Africa, efficiently. Nigeria is potentially a major maritime power considering the size of our Exclusive Economic Zone and territorial waters, and can do more by effectively making sustainable use of the oceans and seas,” he said.
According to him, developing sustainable local fisheries sector in Africa has the capacity to improve food security and lift people out of poverty and hunger.
The National Assembly, he noted, has domesticated 12 important Maritime Safety and Security Conventions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The conventions, he added, are necessary for safeguarding and securing the maritime domain.
“We have also domesticated the International Ships and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, which is a very important IMO instrument for safety and security at seaports. We have also domesticated eight important Conventions and Protocols on marine environment geared towards clean, safe and secure marine environment.
“The industrial fishing arm of maritime business has been losing largely to foreign fishing vessels because Nigeria does not have a single tuna fishing vessel, which is a money yielding machine in many countries. This is why foreign vessels encroach in our waters and take away our tunas, package them and export them back to us,” said Margret Orakwusi, former president of the Nigerian Trawlers Owners Association at a forum in Lagos.
According to her, Nigeria needs to harness its resources, produce made-in-Nigeria goods, provide jobs, for her not to remain an import driven economy. “We also need to generate our cargo, carry our cargo and provide services. We are excited that oil is no longer fetching cheap money for Nigerians because that was why Nigeria is seen as a corrupt nation, but the good news is that the greatness of this country will definitely come back if we work hard.”
Lamenting further, she said that lack of adequate investment has limited the ability of Nigerian ship owners to benefit from fishery and other arms of shipping business.
Orakwusi however assured that there are fresh hopes for the sector as the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Transport recently got some big Chinese fishing companies currently fishing in the Pacific Ocean, to declare interest in coming to Nigerian waters to do legitimate business that would put an end to foreign vessels encroaching in Nigerian waters.
She further blamed lack of cheap funds for the inability of ship owners to acquire vessels in good condition. “Banks have refused to understand that investment in vessel acquisition is long-term and not cash and carry, making it difficult for investors to service bank loans and remain profitable.”
Uzoamaka Anagor-Ewuzie