Fishery groups merged to enhance productivity

Fish

In a bid to enhance opportunities and productivity in the fisheries industry, various groups in the sector have united to become an Amalgamated Association of Fish Farmers and Aquaculture of Nigeria, said the chairman of the new body, Hon. Hussaini  Abdullahi Roha .

Hon. Roha explained that the merger becomes necessary for the better development of members saying it would enhance opportunities for everyone involved in sector, stressed that with the similar challenges and opportunities shared by the different associations, then coming together becomes inevitable in order to chat a way forward.

 He noted a big potential of the country in fisheries saying “Nigeria with a land area of 923,768 km², a continental shelf area of 47,934 km² and a coast line of 853 km cum vast network of inland waters like rivers, flood plains, natural and man-made lakes and reservoirs as found in sub Saharan Africa is endowed with substantial marine and inland fisheries resources as an industry with viable economic opportunities yet to be harnessed”

On artisan fishery, the chairman disclosed it was doing production of about 150,000 metric tons before dropping sharply to about 60,000 metric tons, but added it has started experiencing increased fluctuation between 100,000 and 200,000 metric tons between 1996 and 2006 with another noticeable increase to 240,000mt in 2007.

According to him “aquaculture which is fast developing in recent times as it maintains a relatively steady rate of less than 50,000 metric tons from 1983 up to 2003” added that “the rapid growth in the aquaculture sub-sector in the last decade has led to a geometric increase in production from less than 50,000 metric tons to more than 100,000 metric tons between 2004 and 2010.” 

He further described fish farming as one of the fastest growing agricultural enterprises in Nigeria and its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product was huge with significant impact on the nation’s economy in terms of employment generation, poverty alleviation, foreign exchange earnings and provision of raw materials for the animal feeds industry.

He noted that the inland water mass estimated at about 12.5 million hectares of inland waters was capable of producing 512,000 metric tons of fish annually as he pointed also that the country remains one of the largest consumers of fish with demand estimates at 1.4 million metric tons per annual thereby urging  government  “ at all levels to do more to grow the industry using the unification of Amalgamated Association of Fish Farmers & Aquaculture of Nigeria to harness the limitless opportunities in the fish subsector”

Fish production in Nigeria comes from three sources; artisanal (inland rivers, lakes, costal and brackish water), aquaculture (fish farms) and industrial fishing. However, the vast majority of the fish supply in most cases comes from the artisanal sub-sector. Fish production in Nigeria has not been consistent in all the sources. Total domestic fish production in Nigeria ranges between 242,525 and 615,507 metric tons from 1981-2007 and has not been consistent.

Domestic fish production of about 500,000 metric tons is supplied by artisanal fishers (85%), despite over fishing in many water bodies across the country. Fish production in Nigeria has not been consistent in all the sources. Total domestic fish production in Nigeria ranges between 242,525 and 615,507 metric tons from 1981 to 2007 and has not been consistent. Despite this considerably high potentials, local fish production has failed to meet the country’s domestic demand .The fish industry remains the most virgin investment in Nigeria compared with the importation of frozen fish in the domestic market.