Nigeria, Ghana Strengthen Cooperation Against Illegal Fishing
Nigeria and Ghana have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation on fisheries governance, sustainable fisheries management and the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
A statement by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, said the engagement also provided an opportunity for Oyetola, who is President of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), to meet with the FCWC Secretariat and the Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Centre in Tema, Ghana.
The engagement formed part of efforts to deepen regional cooperation and advance fisheries governance during Nigeria’s chairmanship of the committee.
The statement highlighted Nigeria’s pilot implementation of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels as a practical platform for strengthening cooperation with Ghana, particularly in verifying vessel authorisations and exchanging relevant information through the FCWC framework.
Ghana’s Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, commended Nigeria for its efforts in combating piracy and the significant progress recorded in the Marine and Blue Economy sector.
Arthur reaffirmed that combating IUU fishing remains a priority for Ghana and pledged her country’s full cooperation with Nigeria to address the challenge.
The renewed commitment is expected to support regional efforts to promote sustainable fisheries management, strengthen maritime security and curb illegal fishing activities across the West Central Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria, Ghana Strengthen Cooperation Against Illegal Fishing