The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Muhammad Abubakar, has said an estimated 10 million Nigerians are actively engaged in primary and secondary fisheries operations.
Abubakar stated that the Nigerian government is currently encouraging backward integration through commercial aquaculture production to boost local production.
The move, he said, will further increase the country’s annual fish production and thereby reducing the 2.5 million metric tons of fish imported into the country annually.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Internal Coordination Meeting of Implementation of Fisheries Governance Project Phase 2 (FisheriesGov 2), Dr Abubakar said Nigeria’s total demand for fish is 3.6 million tons annually while it produces 1.1 million tons from all sources (Artisanal, Aquaculture, and Industrial sectors) leaving a deficit of about 2.5 million tons.
He added that the Federal Government measures are to enable the fisheries subsector gain the desired prominence.
These measures, he said, include: “establishment of Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) in Lagos and Abuja to monitor and control illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing along Nigeria continental shelf.
“Fish storage, processing and marketing project to increase shelf life/ keeping quality and curtail post-harvest losses of fish and fishery products.
“Fish farm clusters to increase fish production and engage the teeming youths and women and lake-enhancement project to increase fish production and make for sustainable livelihood for the fisher folks”.
Abubakar further said the programmes are tailored towards job and wealth creation, poverty reduction, arrest and prevention of youth restiveness and food nutrition security.
