‘600,000 jobs lost in fishing sector in the last decade’

No fewer than 600,000 indirect jobs have been lost in the fishing sector due to lack of regulation and sea robbers in the last two decades.

Also, some facilities, equipment and infrastructure worth billions of dollars are rusting away at various fishing jetties due to the harsh operating environment and pirates on the waters.

According to the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association (NITOA), the sub-sector, which had helped to create 6,000 direct and 600,000 indirect jobs in the past, has lost some of its industrial fishing trawlers to sea robbers and pirates.

Within the last two decades, no fewer than 130 vessels had gone into extinction because of the activities of sea robbers and lack of foreign exchange to purchase new ones.


Besides, fishing vessels from Europe, which are operating illegally on Nigerian coastal waters have edged the local companies out of jobs because of incessant poaching.

The association noted that there were about 50 firms  owned by Nigerians in 1995, but that the firms had reduced to 12.

It was learnt that out 250 industrial vessels, only 120 were  in operation due to the harsh situations that the industrial fishing operators had to contend with.

The association noted that the killing and maiming of crew men had made the sector inaccessible to investors.

Recently, former President of Nigerian Trawler owners Association (NITOA), Mrs Margaret Orakwusi, said the government hunt down those fishing illegally on Nigerian waters.