NAN-HE-12
Trawlers
Lagos, Jan. 26, 2017 (NAN) A former President of the Nigeria Trawler Owners Association (NTOA), Mrs Margret Orakwusi, has called on the Nigerian Navy to ward off foreign trawlers from Nigerian waters.
Orakwusi said many fishing firms operating in the nation’s territorial waters did not obey the international maritime law any longer.
She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday that the area reserved for the artisan fishermen was being encroached on by industrial double decked trawlers.
“We are faced with food scarcity and high cost of stable fish in the market at the moment.
“It will not be to the interest of the generality of the people if the foreign trawlers continue to compete with the artisans at the sea coastline.
“They are over fishing and their nets sweep the ocean floor, thereby causing danger to the entire ecosystem,’’ Orakwusi said.
According to her, industrial fishing is restricted to the deep sea while only the artisan fishermen are allowed to fish near the shoreline.
She noted that if the activities of the trawlers were not checked, they would deplete the nation’s fish stock along the coastline.
She, therefore, called on the navy to abide by the international maritime law and protect the nation’s waters, for regular supply of fish to Nigerians.(NAN)
EUC//IA
Edited by Idris Abdulrahman