Nigerian fishermen have raised fresh concerns over the return of illegal fishing activities, particularly by foreign industrial trawlers, in the country’s territorial waters.
The fishermen say the development is worsening hardship in coastal and inland fishing communities, despite renewed patrols by relevant government agencies.
Acting National President of the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, Marshi Gabriel Sanni, disclosed this in an interview in Abuja.
He acknowledged visible efforts by the Nigerian Navy and the supervising ministry but maintained that illegal fishing remains widespread and damaging.
According to him, fishermen across several coastal areas continue to report incursions by foreign vessels, destruction of fishing nets, depletion of fish stocks and disruption of marine ecosystems.
He added that inland waters are also affected, as weak local regulations have allowed illegal fishing practices to thrive in rivers and lakes across the country.
Sanni listed additional challenges facing fishermen to include rising operational costs, limited access to affordable loans, unreliable data for decision-making, climate-related disruptions and inadequate cold storage facilities.
He revealed that between 30 and 40 per cent of locally harvested fish are lost before reaching markets due to poor infrastructure in many communities.
The federation therefore called for stricter enforcement of regulations, improved collaboration among maritime agencies and increased investment in technology and training to safeguard Nigeria’s fisheries resources.
Reporting by John Obot