Cost of fishing equipment responsible for increase in prices of fish
Fish
By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, April 13, 2018 (NAN) The Fishermen Cooperative in Bariga Local Government of Lagos State has attributed the high cost of fish in the markets to the increase in the prices of fishing equipment.
The Chairman of the cooperative, Mr Segun Zebulon, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday.
According to him, the high cost of equipment has made it increasingly difficult for young people to buy fishing equipment.
“Before now, the outboard engine was sold for N400,000 but now, it is over N1.5 million.
“The second hand outboard engine that we used to buy at N200, 000 is now N450, 000. The prices of fishing nets and other accessories we need have also increased.
“You have to buy fuel to power the engine and you know that we do buy in Jerry cans which are an additional cost.
“So, we cannot help it. The costs we incur to get the fish have to affect the market prices of the little fishes we are able to catch,’’ he said.
Zebulon said that although the number of fishermen in the local government was more than 5,000 only a few of them have the equipment to go into the high sea for fishing.
He said that for anybody, especially the youths, who desire to venture into the fishing business now must have at least two million naira.
Zebulon said that majority of the fishermen still operate with canoe, adding that those local boats could only fish around shallow waters.
He said their plight now was that the developments around the shoreline in the area have driven all the fishes out of the area into the high sea.
According to him, the women, children and youths who harvest the sea foods on the shorelines were now finding it difficult to survive.
Zebulon said that some of the women, children and youths had to go to far places to get those sea foods which add up to making the market prices of fish costly.
NAN reports that fresh fish in the markets in the Lagos metropolis now sell for between N2,000 and N2,500 for three, while the biggest ones sold between N4,000 and N5,000.
NAN further reports that big sizes of frozen Tilapia fish sold for N2, 000 while the average-sized catfish sold for between N1, 000 and N2, 000.
NAN reports that an average-sized frozen Titus fish and frozen Kote fish cost N400 and N500, respectively.
Also, the least market price for frozen stockfish is N800, while the big size costs up to N2, 500. (NAN)
ACA/OFN/PIO
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(Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Idonije Obakhedo)