Expert Urges Support For Local Fishermen

The Chairman, Baron
Investment Limited (BIL) Mr Clement Isiaki has said that the fishing industry has the capacity to meet the nation’s local fish consumption needs.
Isiaki who stated this while speaking to our correspondent, yesterday in Port Harcourt said, if fish production was well managed the level of importation would reduce.
According to him, the nation’s local fish need was about 2.5 million metric tones out of which the local fishing sector contributes about 700,000 metric tones.
He said local production had enough gaps which could be met, through the process of capture and culture farming.
Isiaki said if the government organises the sector well, fish producers could engage in exporting fish from capture and local farming.
He explained that before now, it was not believed that catfish which is farmed in abundance in the country today could be cultured in tanks and other viable methods in the country.
The BIL boss explained that fishing experts from South Africa have been visiting fish farmers in the country overtime with a view to partnering with them to key into their successes.
He added that so far, all captured fish by trawlers owners in the country are not exported but sold locally.
Isiaki however added that if the fish value chain was organised properly and value added, products could be exported to earn foreign exchange for the country.
Further, he said this development would not prevent local fish farmers from importing fish because consumers can appreciate the difference between health and taste benefits.
He called for the increase in fishing terminals in the country to encourage local producers to consider going back to business even as he said the lack of fishing terminals was capable of discouraging the operation of cold rooms and processing centres outside the available ports in the country.