Another Look On Akwa Ibom Fishery Industry

A visit to Akwa Ibom major fish markets at Oron beach, Ibaka, Atabong, Itu bridge-head, Ibeno, Adadia, Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo axis would not only convince one graphically on the leading role Akwa Ibom State is playing in Nigeria’s fisheries industry but would expose opportunities abounding in the sub-sector especially as the country is looking beyond crude oil to accelerate economic diversification.

            Indeed, Akwa Ibom is a fish producing State with a coastline spanning 129.4 kilometers. Offshore deep sea demersal fishing is carried out in the Atlantic Ocean. With rich Cross River and Niger-Delta estuaries, there are a lot of onshore fishing operations in the State. In addition, Akwa Ibom is blessed with several network of rivers and streams that are rich in fishery resources. Major rivers flowing through the State include Qua Iboe River, Cross River, Imo River and Ikpa River. Some kind of fish available in the State’s maritime water as well as freshwaters include bonga, bagrid, croakers, ray, sharks, grunters, catfish, shiny-nose, and many others. Shellfishes such as crabs, oysters, shrimps, periwinkles, crayfish and clams are also produced commercially in the State. Large-scale fish productions are done by trawlers while low-scale fishermen mostly operate in the water bodies that have limited navigability.

            Speaking with our correspondent recently, Mr. Bassey Uwe Bassey, Director of Fisheries in Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sufficiency, said that artisanal fishery alone contributes more than 20% of the domestic fish production in the country. Referring to the data made available by the Statistics Unit in the Ministry’s Fisheries Department, he disclosed that about 200,000 metric tons are produced in capture fisheries per year with about 65,000 persons involving in active fishing and marketing.

            While describing the nature of fisheries in Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Blessing Oribhabor, who currently heads the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Environmental Management in University of Uyo, told our correspondent that, Akwa Ibom as a coastal State, is intensively involved in capture fisheries whereby people go into different aquatic ecosystem to catch fish and sell to the public both at the landing sites and the markets. He maintained that fishery sub-sector is what is sustaining the coastal communities in the State. But the most pertinent question in this regards is: how significantly has the fishery sector, being a non-oil asset, contributed to the revenue profile of Akwa Ibom State, especially, as the current economic trend moves towards diversification?

            In answering the above question, it is necessary to bring to the fore that Akwa Ibom, despite the fact that she is a perennial net exporter of fishery resources, is yet to optimally utilize the potentials of fish industry. The truth is that fishery enterprise in the State is largely under the control of outsiders thus leaving the State with something marginal as gains. The Sensor gathered from a knowledgeable source from a fishing community in Oron that a lot of money has been generated from the great percentage of fish products taken outside the State but the fact remains that fisheries enterprise is not controlled by the indigenes of Akwa Ibom, instead the enterprise is mostly run by investors coming from outside the State. These investors would provide capital equipment such as outboard engine to indigenous fishermen and then turn around to get the fish products in accordance to their dictated terms. In most cases, they would buy the products at a very low rate and realize huge profits at the expense of indigenous fishermen.

            Bassey confessed that why the State Ministry of Agriculture seems to lag behind in the control of most of the activities in capture fisheries setting is because enabling laws are not put in place.  He revealed that the ministry has done the draft of the laws which would give it powers to control the fisheries agro subsector in the State. The Director said that the draft of the laws has so far been forwarded to appropriate government organ and the process for ratification is underway. He believed that once the laws are put in place, all stakeholders in the fishery industry would stand a chance to benefit, the State Government would be generating substantial revenue, and the exploitation of fishery resources would be brought under control.

            Bassey explained that artisanal fishery is the responsibility of the State Government while Federal Government takes charge of industrial fishing. The Federal Government licenses the industrial boats and generates a lot of revenue. In similar vein, it is expected that the State Government should be generating revenue from licensing artisanal boats but according to Mr. Bassey, it is quite unfortunate that people fish in the State waters without paying kobo to the State Government.

            However, amongst other serious challenges identified to have been besetting the performance of Akwa Ibom State fishery industry is the crude oil production. According to Bassey, “We have recorded oil spills most of the time in such a way we find it becomes difficult to quantify. The losses to the fishermen are enormous. It affects the biological life of the fish. Some may be killed but some would run away from fishing grounds to other areas until the effect of the spillage subsides. It would take time for fishing at the affected areas to recover. Besides, there is a lot of pressure on fish resources owing to the fact that a lot of people are depending on business of fisheries, and when this is added to spillage, it becomes extremely damaging.”

            Another major challenge is the problem of militancy and piracy. Mr. Bassey Uwe Bassey said that a lot of Akwa Ibom fishermen suffer losses to the activities of militant and pirate groups. They lose their boats, engines, products and fishing nets. Likewise, there is a mounting pressure from the neighbouring country, the Cameroons. Those who fish close to the Cameroons borders are usually harassed by the gendarmes. Moreso, the fisheries Director revealed that there are recorded cases where some trawlers harass artisanal fishermen. They would go into the areas that are meant for small fishing units and exploit fishery resources. But he noted that such cases are less frequent now.

            Albeit, Bassey said that government has tried to ensure that resources are exploited responsibly: people don’t over-fish; they don’t catch juveniles; and that government has also tried to ensure that nursery grounds are protected. In addition to this, he maintained that government has also made considerable attempt towards ensuring that conflict situations at fishing communities are well taken care of so as to engender conducive environment for fishing.

            Now that the export-based economy is highly emphasized, coupled with the fact that Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, is identifying fishery industry as one of the key areas that should be harnessed for economic recovery and growth. Therefore, for Akwa Ibom State to be of tremendous benefit from exportation of fish products, there is the need for the State to partner with NEPC in toeing the path of processing, canning and packaging. Without these activities, it is impossible to trade with acceptable products in the international market. In seeking to meet international standard through packaging, more jobs and wealth would be created in the fishery value chain.

            Meanwhile, Dr. Blessing Oribhabor of Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Environmental Management, University of Uyo, has urged the State Government to go more into fishery statistics so as to capture all the fishermen in Akwa Ibom State and empower them with fishing materials and give them orientation on the best fishery practices. According to him, this would not only reduce unemployment, but would also increase protein per capita in the State.

            In the next edition, we will consider another aspect of Akwa Ibom fishery industry in the area of aquaculture.