President Bola Tinubu has assured that Nigeria will in no distant time achieve self-sufficiency in fish production as well as become a major exporter of the protein
Tinubu gave the assurance while speaking at the 39th annual conference of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON) on Wednesday in Abuja. He said the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy marked the beginning of a new era for the fisheries and aquaculture sub-sector.
The President, who was represented by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, assured that the ministry is committed to achieving self-sufficiency in fish production and positioning Nigeria as the major exporter of fish and fisheries products.
According to him, the movement of the fisheries department from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to Marine and Blue Economy has recorded remarkable achievement in the last nine months, including an increase in feed production and a reduction of fish imports, leveraged on public-private partnerships to increase investment in the sector.
He disclosed that Nigeria recently scored 100 per cent for the first time following inspection of the United States on the Shrimps market, saying the feat got the country recertified to export shrimps to the United States, European Union, and the international market.
He disclosed that the Ministry is embarking on various initiatives tailored towards fisheries management, boosting investment in fisheries and aquacultural development, improving post-harvest infrastructure, promoting innovation, leveraging technology, and fostering multi-stakeholder collaborations.
Meanwhile, the President of FISON, Dr. Ebinimi Ansa, has called on the federal government to establish the Fisheries Institute of Nigeria (FIN) to strengthen the nation’s fisheries resources and enhance capacity and professional standards in the sector.
While maintaining that professionalising fisheries and aquaculture will elevate our capacity and ensure compliance with global standards, she appealed to the Minister to sponsor the FIN bill as an executive bill for the National Assembly’s consideration.
She highlighted that the institute would provide structured capacity building, certification, and professional development, facilitating knowledge transfer and best practices in fisheries management and marine resource sustainability.
