In a bid to curb the menace of Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in Nigeria while promoting aquacultural services, Zoe Maritime Resources Limited is set to host a strategic industry summit on Thursday, next week.
The Maritime Business Roundtable Breakfast Meeting themed: “Illegal, Undocumented & Unregulated Fishing – The Bane of Nigeria’s Blue Economy” will be attended by top maritime experts including the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh OFR; President Nigerian Trawler Owners Association [NITOA], Benedette Okonkwo; The Director, Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research.
Other guests include; Enitan Solarin -Managing Director, YOA Insurance Brokers; Adekunle Fasasi – President Fishermen Association at the event scheduled to hold at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island.
Speaking ahead of the event, the Convener and Chairman, Zoe Maritime Resources Ltd, Mrs. Oritsematosan Edodo-Emore, on Thursday, stressed that the aim of the Maritime Business Roundtable Breakfast Meeting is to bring users and suppliers of Nigerian Maritime and Aquacultural services together to share ideas and explore opportunities in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.
Meanwhile, Edodo-Emore observed that there is need for Federal Government to secure and harness the advantages of the nation’s ocean resources, lamenting that illegal, undocumented and unregulated fishing in the nation must be curbed.
According to her, the competition facing the Nigerian fishermen in the fishing industry in Nigeria is enormous, with the biggest problem posed by industrial fishing organisations from different continents who exploit the nation’s oceans.
“This issue requires us to be alert, our security apparatus needs to be alive and alert to make sure that our oceans and its resources are protected. It is important for government to know that there is need to educate and train its people, to be able to take advantage of the ocean resources.”
“We need the Ministry of Agriculture, the Minister in charge of fishing, to work with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and security forces to protect our oceans,” she said.
Edodo-Emore also posited that it was important to ensure the use of technology to address some of the challenges confronting the fishing industry such as catching fish, storage and preservation.
“Technology will ensure our fishes move out of the country but unfortunately, many of our fishermen are artisanal and we need to move from artisanal to industrial fishing. This requires training, involvement of government, push and support from them. It also requires collaboration with other countries.”
“Fishermen are already in associations. What needs to be done is to bring technology to that association and support them,” she said.
