Nigeria is one of the Sub-Saharan African countries widely known to have a large potency on the fishery sector. However, it has not been yet explored largely and effectively. Indonesia is simply considered as one of the best countries in that sector, both in experience and technology, which could be shared with other countries, like Nigeria. "The Nigerian government is very keen to conduct a partnership in the marine and fishery sectors. They even asked the Indonesia government to help their fishery sector by proposing some other cooperation in the aquaculture spanning investments, fishery technology, and other beneficial cooperation," said Sharif.
According to Sharif, Nigeria is very enthusiastic about Indonesia's development in the marine and fishery sector. This West African country really hopes that Indonesia will help develop the country's marine and fishery sectors seriously. Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwuni Ayodeji Adesina, who also administers the country's marine and fishery sectors, appraised the success of the Indonesia's aquaculture could also be applied in Nigeria. "In the Aquaculture sector, Nigeria is really determined that the floating keramba (a basket put in a stream for raising fish), mina rice cultivation, shrimp culture, and saltwater aquaculture, could be attained in this country," he explains.
In the marine and fishery technology, continues Sharif, Nigeria has proposed an agreement draft to increase the quality and standard of their fishery product. Nigeria also came up with a Nigeria's fishery lab modernization program to be established specially in Lagos city, the Nigeria's biggest city. In the infrastructure development cooperation, Nigeria also enlisted the fishery infrastructure development program, including the fishery infrastructure terminal and Lagos' beaches-based fishing ports revitalization plans into the agreement. "Nigeria also submitted a partnership in the research and development, Nigeria's ocean fish stocks study, and other fishery surveys and researches," he states.
Investment
Sharif explains, the meeting with Dr. Akinwuni Ayodeji Adesina also discussed the investment in the fishery sector. Nigeria, which has been importing the canned fish product from Indonesia, hopes for the investment cooperation in the fishery industry. They expect the investment on the freshwater aquaculture development, the shrimp culture, and also the tilapia production. "Nigeria also covets the investment on the tuna canning industry and fish feed mill plant development," affirms Sharif.
Indonesia's Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries' visit to Nigeria also conferred about the fishery resources monitoring cooperation. Nigeria appraised the Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing monitoring and eradication system, mainly the trawl boats eradication, in Indonesia that was quite successful to reduce the fishery resource destruction, and also to maintain the nature reservation. That's why, Nigeria hopes such systems would be soon applied in that country, especially the enhancement of the trawling area patrols to tackle the illegal fishing and the conflict between fishermen and trawler operators. "They're looking forward to learning the Indonesia's fishery monitoring and control system. Not to mention, the social conflict potency in Nigeria is pretty high," he adds.
For further information, please contact Indra Sakti, SE., MM, Head of Data, Statistic and Information Center of Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Mobile: 0818159705)
Editor: PR Wire
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
