Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — As the world marks World Fisheries Day, stakeholders have raised the alarm over challenges faced by artisanal fishers in Nigeria, particularly oil and gas pollution, coastal erosion, overexploitation of fish and other aquatic resources, mangrove depletion and Nipa palm invasion.
To this end, fishers in the country under the aegis of FishNet Alliance have urged the government at all levels and its relevant agencies to always involved and engage artisanal fishers before making policies bordering on aquatic environment.
FishNet Alliance is a network of fishers engaged in and promoting sustainable fishing practices in line with ecosystem limits; with solidarity against destructive extractive activities in water bodies including rivers, lakes and oceans.
Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, said it was shocking that the government and oil operators would allow the raging inferno in Ororo-1 well in OML95 to linger for over three years, without making any attempt to stop the ecocide.
Bassey explained that oil and gas exploitation as well as their associated infrastructure in the country, have proven to be one of the worst challenges faced by small-scale fishers in recent time.
He also pointed out the issue of sand-filling of traditional fishing grounds as experienced by the people of Makoko in Lagos State, was also a challenge to artisnal fishers, and charged the government to work with coastal communities for better environmental management.
According to him, over 27 percent of the people in coastal communities depend on artisanal fishing for job opportunities in Africa, while over 80percent of domestic fish production in Nigeria was generated by artisanal fishers, hence a sector which meets the protein needs of millions of Africans deserves to be recognized and supported.
He said, “From the continuous burning of the Ororo-1 well, huge amounts of hydrocarbons and climate-harming greenhouse gases are being released into the environment. Why is the government quiet? Who will clean up, remediate, and restore the already destroyed environment?
“For a government that professes emphasis on the so-called blue economy, this atrocious negligence suggests that government is ready to sacrifice our environment and the communities that depend off natural resources. This World Fisheries Day offers a good opportunity for the government to have a change of heart and do the needful.”
Also, the Coordinator of FishNet Alliance, Mr. Stephen Oduware, speaking on 2023 theme of World Fisheries Day “Build Enabling Policy Environments for Small-scale Artisanal Fisheries” said policymakers must bring artisanal fishers to the policy table to make contributions that will further strengthen maritime policies.
“The 2023 theme should evoke a sense of responsibility, accountability, equity, fairness, justice and inclusivity. Artisanal fishers must be consulted and included in the preparation of policies for aquatic environments, they hold a lot of knowledge that can shape such policies into pro-people and pro-environment policies.
“Communities like Kono in Ogoniland who have used local and cultural means to preserve mangrove areas, need to be recognized, promoted and supported.”