Stakeholders in Nigeria’s fisheries and aquaculture sector have renewed their call for a modern fisheries law that addresses the shortcomings of the outdated Sea Fisheries Act, enacted in 1992.

At a two-day workshop that brought together key players from across the sector to review the proposed Fisheries Bill and a newly developed Fisheries Management Plan over the weekend, they agreed that a new law would improve efficiency and make the sector more rewarding.

The workshop was organised by the Department of Fisheries under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with the Resource and Environmental Policy Research Centre, Environment for Development (REPRC-EfD Nigeria), University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, represented by the Director of Fisheries, Paul Opuama, noted that the existing law is outdated and fails to address critical contemporary issues, such as climate change, ecosystem-based management, traceability, and compliance with international trade standards.

“The 1992 Act does not reflect the current realities in the industry. It lacks provisions to fully tackle issues such as monitoring and surveillance technologies, climate resilience, and global trade compliance,” he said.

Oyetola assured participants that the ministry is committed to fast-tracking the legislative process for the reviewed bill to secure approval from the Federal Executive Council.

“We understand the urgency of this reform and will work diligently to expedite the process towards establishing a robust legal and regulatory framework,” the minister added.