Nigeria has lost about 80 percent of her fishing industry capacity to neighbouring countries in the Gulf of Guinea region following the persistent threat of maritime security concern, low policing of inland waters and constant pollution of waters, maritime experts say.
According to them, Nigeria’s fishing capacity has reduced as the number of fishing trawlers operating on the nation’s waters dropped from 125 trawlers to 25.
Kunle Folarin, chairman of Port Consultative Council (PCC), said the development means investment and capacity in the nation’s fishing industry has also dropped.
“We have about 570 kilometres of navigable inland waterways that can be used for transport, fishing and other marine services. We have 12 nautical miles of territorial waters and 200 nautical miles of exclusive economic zones but what is the percentage utilisation of these natural resources?” Folarin questioned during the quarterly business roundtable organised by MMS Plus Newspapers on ‘Economic Outlook: Quarterly Verdict’ with the theme “Post-Election Economy: Exploring Strategies for Growth.”
Folarin, who pointed at maritime security threats as the fundamental reason fishing capacity in Nigeria dropped, said Nigeria has the longest coastline in the Gulf of Guinea that is over 9,000 nautical miles, which is potential for economic growth.
He also blamed low surveillance on Nigerian waters, saying it has made foreign vessels to have a field day while fishing on Nigerian waters.
“Policing Nigerian maritime environment has been an issue between Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). This has become a serious policy issue that government should address to enable Nigerians know whom to hold responsible for inadequate surveillance of the nation,” Folarin said.
He further disclosed that shipping companies have increased shipping freight to Nigeria by 30 percent due to the problem of maritime security. He listed Fairway buoy, Brass entrance, and Bonny as the places where the heaviest pirate attacks take place in Nigeria.
“The plural effects of maritime security include cost addition on shippers and rise in prices of imported goods and services.”
In an interview with BusinessDay, Jonathan Nicol, president of Lagos Shippers Association, said that South-South region in Nigeria does a lot of fishing but the oil has become a curse to people in that region because of the pollution on the oceans and streams.
Nicol said fishes caught in that region become so contaminated that it’s now difficult to export to them international markets. He further disclosed that Niger-Delta region has a lot of lobsters that are usually rejected when exported to Europe due to the impact of pollution.
“We have a government that encourages the production of about 3million barrels of crude oil per day without any concern about pollution. This cannot happen in places like America, England and even Ghana.”
“Ghana is allowed to fish internationally because their waters are not polluted. Savannah used to be a popular fishing company in Nigeria but we hardly hear of them anymore due to piracy and when fishing companies catch fish in Ghanaian waters, they will be able to export them,” he said.
Continuing, Nicol said: “No one is fishing on our waters anymore but you can fish in Ghana water even though, Ghanaians do not like it when foreigners try to fish in their territorial waters. Ghana fishing industry is booming. Sometimes the Chinese will bring 40 fishing vessels on their waters and most of them will come back with big catch after which they will all go back to sea.”
Nicol further added that Ghana is presently supporting their seafarers with jobs created in the fishing aspect of maritime business while Nigeria on the other hand, does not have the vessel to support and preserve her seafarers. “We do not have jobs for them. So, the system is dead. I don’t know how the government will resuscitate the maritime sector.”
Amaka Anagor-Ewuzie
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