FISON president decries lawlessness in Nigerian fishing industry

The lamentation was expressed recently by the FISON president in an interview with Daily Trust at the National Validation Workshop for the Review and Update of the Inland Fisheries Act 1992 held in Abuja, under the auspices of the European Union (EU) by the Federal Department of Fisheries in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and […]

The lamentation was expressed recently by the FISON president in an interview with Daily Trust at the National Validation Workshop for the Review and Update of the Inland Fisheries Act 1992 held in Abuja, under the auspices of the European Union (EU) by the Federal Department of Fisheries in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Dr. Abdullah who described the existing Fisheries Act as ‘inadequate and outdated’, noted that the ugly situation has greatly impeded the sustainable exploitation and utilization of the nation’s fisheries resources over the years and needed to be quickly addressed by all stakeholders in the sector.
He stated that in line with international best practice, Nigeria requires a holistic fisheries act that will ensure proper conservation, management and development of the sea fisheries, inland fisheries, aquaculture and other related matters.
The FISON president said: “The Nigerian fisheries sector is lawless; the existing act was enacted in 1992; that’s over 20 years ago. It’s outdated and inadequate as it focuses mainly on licensing matters. Obviously, it’s over due for review and update.
“Operators in the fisheries sector do whatever they like, so we need an act that will curtail their excesses, an Act that will focus on technological, socio-economic and political development and other issues in the sector in line with international best practice and international instruments signed by Nigeria,” he said.  
Dr. Abdullah disclosed that the lawlessness in the Nigerian fishing industry has been observed by the international community and is being addressed by the European Union, which has sponsored the current review and update of the Inland Fisheries Act under the CAP (Caribbean, African and Pacific) countries project.
“I think the EU is sponsoring the project so that enabling environment will be created for foreign investors to come and invest in the fisheries sector, which has a lot of potentials yet to be fully tapped. No investor is ready to put money in an unregulated industry, but they know Nigeria is a fertile ground for investment, that’s probably why they are intervening”, the FISON president opined.