Stakeholders in agriculture on Sunday urged Lagos State Government to review and enforce fishing laws for both artisanal and cultured fishing in the state.
In a communiqué issued after a one-day agricultural summit, the stakeholders urged the state government to upgrade existing Fish Farm Estates with modern infrastructure, especially the Ketu Ereyun Fish farm.
“We want the government to facilitate the emergence of business model that would make farm estates attractive to investors and operators,” it stated.
According to the communique, the state government should help fish farmers get single digit interest loan for the acquisition of inputs and production assets under the Fishery Value Chain for the growth of the sector.
The stakeholders also urged government to introduce the ‘Cage and Pen Fish Culture Technology’ into the state fishing system to encourage private sector participation.
” There is the need for the adoption of improved technology in order to attract youths to farming,” it stated.
The communique recommended the deployment of modern technologies along fishery value chain, stressing that the number of people dealing fishing was depleting due to ageing.
The stakeholders also urged the government to promote and protect fish value chain by collaborating with the private sector through activity such as the Annual Sea Food Festival.
The communique called on the state government to create an enabling environment for stakeholders in obtaining certification of their products from regulatory bodies, especially for export purposes.
“There is the need to reduce tariff on importation of fish feed and as a matter of urgency work with the private sector on the establishment of a fish feed factory in Lagos State.
“Government should look into technology that can facilitate freezing catfish to preserve it for sale and provide online markets for stakeholders in the fishing sector,” it said.
About 120 participants attended the summit oganised by the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture.
