The Federal Government said it remained committed to creating enabling environment in partnership with the private sector to end fish importation in the country.
Minister of State, in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, disclosed this in Lagos recently while commissioning two fishing vessels acquired by one of the leading private fishing companies in the country. He expressed concerns that currently, the nation’s total annual fish demands stands at 3.5 million tons, out of which Nigeria is producing only 1.1million tons from all sources (Aquaculture, artisanal and Industrial sectors including shrimps) leaving a deficit of about 2.4million tons to be supplemented by importation.
He added: “Our ultimate goal is to attain self sufficiency in fish and aquaculture production. In this regard, my ministry is not only striving to create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and fill in the missing gap but we have in addition ensured that all fishing and fisheries regulations, especially within the marine environment are enforced.”
The minister therefore expressed joy that the industrial fishing companies in Nigeria under the auspices of Nigeria Trawlers Association of Nigeria (NITOA) are collaborating fully with government in ensuring that best practices are employed in the exploitation of the living marine resources. Said he: “So far our ministry has elaborated the Inland Fisheries Regulation for Aquaculture including shrimps, to encourage investors in the fisheries and aquaculture sub-sector to facilitate the promotion of fish and shrimp culture for local consumption and export to international markets.”
The minister who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the occasion, stated that government places serious emphasis on the fisheries and aquacultural sub sector because it is key to the agricultural sector of the Nigerian economy since it contributes about 4.5 per cent to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Besides, the the minister noted that the fisheries and aquacultural sub-sector’s contributions is very significant to national food security, employment creation, income generation, poverty alleviation, foreign exchange earnings, and the provision of raw materials for the food and animal feed industry.
Lokpobiri explained that the vision of the present administration is to grow Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector to achieve a hunger-free Nigeria through agriculture that drives income growth, accelerates achievements of food and nutritional security, generates employment and transforms Nigeria into a leading player in global food/fish market to create wealth for millions of practitioners and the teeming youths in the country.
The minister noted that the two ultra modern fishing vessels by Atlantic Shrimpers Limited was in addition to the 70 existing vessels owned by the company, making it the highest number of fishing fleets and vessels in the fishing industry in the count.
He said: “The Ministry is also opening up the Deep Sea/Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for exploitation of her Tuna resources by issuing Letter of Assurances to companies to bring in Deep Sea Vessels into the country. Nigeria has joined the International Committee for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). This is the only option open to us in terms of seafood security of The nation as we allow the inshore waters to rejuvenate back from the past fishing pressure.
“In addition, we are embarking on backward integration through commercial aquaculture (pond and cage culture) for local consumption and export to international markets. In this regard I wish to mention that several companies have complied with the Ministry’s directive on the backward integration policy, including the Atlantic Shrimpers Limited, Triton Aqua Africa, Premium Aquaculture, Tilapia Developers Association of Nigeria (TADAN), just to mention but a few.”