Association Seeks Legislation On Fishing

Fishermen, under the aegis of Fishermen Association of Nigeria (FAAN), Bonny/Andoni Zone in Rivers State have called for a legislation that would direct fishing activities of some fishermen, including fishing trawlers in the state.
Chairman of the Association, Mr. Raymond Dike made the call last Monday in a telephone interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt.
According to him, the use of fish fingerlings net and some fishing gears had made sea fishing very difficult occupation to survive with, especially in Bonny-Andoni axis of the State.
Raymond, whose occupation is mainly for deep sea fishing said by making such legislation some of the fishing gears would be restricted to allow fish fingerlings to grow in the river.
He said the activities of some fishermen, especially fishing trawlers had caused serious hardship on fishermen in the area.
He also explained that fishing trawlers had no fishing limits, but collected anything aquatic creatures in the river.
The fishermen’s chairman said such activities need to be regulated for breeding of sea fishes.
The fisherman also lamented over the activities of illegal bunkering and sea piracy as some of the challenges confronting fishermen in the area.
He said oil spill and rampant distilling of crude oil by illegal bunkerers had made it very difficult for fishermen to carry out their daily fishing activities on the river.
“We also have challenges by illegal bunkering activities and sea piracy. Our rivers are all polluted by oil, even sea pirates on the other hand are also collecting our fishing gears, and engine-boats.
“Last year, over 20 engine boats were snatched daily from fishermen, mostly around Bonny and Andoni’s rivers,” he said.
The fishermen chairman called on the governments and security agencies to beef up security on the river, saying that unemployment in Rivers State would be increasing, if nothing is alone to maintain fishing occupation in the State.
He said the number of bunkerers was increasing daily as a results, many people are quitting fishing occupation to bunkering activities as alternative means of surviving, and called on government to do something reasonable to overcome the challenges in fishing occupation.

Enoch Epelle