…Oyetola vows crackdown on foreign operators exploiting Nigerian waters
The Federal Government has vowed to intensify its crackdown on illegal fishing in Nigerian waters as Nigeria moves to adopt Norway’s satellite-based surveillance system to track suspicious vessels and protect the country’s marine resources.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja when he received Norway’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Svein Baera, who introduced the Blue Justice initiative to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The initiative offers participating countries free satellite-based Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel-tracking data through the Blue Justice Ocean Surveillance Programme.
According to a statement by the minister’s Special Adviser, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, Oyetola assured the Norwegian delegation that Nigeria would participate in the programme to strengthen maritime surveillance and improve enforcement against illegal fishing operators.
The minister expressed concern that foreign operators were illegally harvesting fish from Nigerian waters before returning the products to the country for sale at exorbitant prices, thereby undermining local fishermen and businesses.
“We cannot continue to allow foreign operators to exploit our marine resources illegally while our local fishers and businesses suffer the consequences. The Federal Government is determined to bring this practice to an end,” he said.
Under the initiative, Nigeria would gain access to real-time and historical vessel-tracking data to help authorities identify suspicious maritime movements, investigate possible violations and detect vessels deliberately evading tracking systems.
Baera, who was accompanied by Norway’s Second Secretary for Political and Project Development, Michelle Hovi, said the visit was aimed at introducing the programme and inviting Nigeria to join the Blue Community, a network of countries participating in the initiative.
He explained that the system would strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to identify so-called “dark vessels” that evade tracking systems and investigate activities linked to illegal fishing and other maritime crimes.
The technology is expected to provide Nigerian authorities with additional intelligence for monitoring fishing activities, protecting fisheries resources and enforcing regulations against operators exploiting the country’s waters.
Oyetola said illegal fishing deprives Nigeria of legitimate economic benefits, threatens the sustainability of aquatic resources and endangers the livelihoods of fishing communities.
He added that satellite surveillance and improved intelligence sharing would help authorities detect suspicious activities and strengthen enforcement of fisheries regulations.
“The protection of our waters is an environmental responsibility and an economic imperative. We must protect our fish stocks, safeguard the livelihoods of our fishermen and ensure that our marine resources contribute meaningfully to national development,” the minister said.
Beyond maritime surveillance, Oyetola said the Federal Government was pursuing measures to increase domestic fish production, reduce dependence on imports, create jobs and conserve foreign exchange.
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing remains a major challenge to sustainable marine resource management, as unauthorised harvesting depletes fish stocks, disadvantages legitimate operators and reduces potential government revenue.
For Nigeria, improved monitoring and enforcement could help protect local fishing communities and strengthen the marine and blue economy as a source of employment, food security and economic growth.
However, the ministry did not specify when Nigeria would formally join the Blue Community, which agencies would operate the surveillance system or the enforcement resources that would accompany its adoption.
