By Tunde Olamilekan
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has disclosed that the federal government is committed to protecting the nation’s marine resources and combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing through enhanced regional and international partnerships.
The Minister made the disclosure on Monday when he received the Chairman and Secretary-General of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) on a working visit to his office in Abuja.
Describing IUU fishing as a “grave threat to marine biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods,” the Minister warned that the practice undermines national and international regulations, endangers food security, and creates unfair competition for law-abiding fishers.
“IUU fishing significantly threatens marine ecosystems and biodiversity, jeopardises sustainable fisheries, and puts enormous pressure on our economy. Nigeria is determined to work closely with our partners to eliminate it,” Oyetola said.
The Minister, during the meeting signed tw agreements aimed at strengthening marine governance and improving the welfare of seafarers.
The agreements were the Monrovia Declaration, which focuses on enforcing Conservation and Management Measures (CMM), enhancing transparency, and deepening fisheries governance within the FCWC region.
The Minister also signed the Protocol on Labour Standards for Crew, which introduces robust protections for seafarers, prohibits exploitative practices, and seeks to eliminate forced labour on fishing vessels.
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