Fish Party and Mundus maris have several years of cooperation under their belt in the effort to address the challenges to people active in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and the resources accessed in Nigeria or brought in from outside to meet the needs of a still fast growing population. Beyond identifying the challenges, they focus on what can be done to identify and promote solutions for people and planet, in ways that are inclusive for women and youths. The latest joint event was a webinar on 20 July 2024.
The focus on challenges and possible solution for the sustainable management of marine resources was well chosen. It is central to the policies in this populous country struggling to keep fish supplies up with market demand for fish food at affordable prices and many women and youths involved in different stages of the value chain, always on the outlook for opportunities. Pollution is a major issue, not only in the vicinity of oil and gas installations.
Two panelists intervened, Mrs. Rukayat Olaleru, an aquaculture consultant, and Mr. Johnson Adebukola, an advocate for fish sustainability. They were joined by two special guests, Mr. Idowu Hunyinbo, Chief Fisheries Officer, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Department of Fisheries, and Dr. (Mrs.) AyoJesutomi Abiodun-Solanke, Lecturer, Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology in Victoria Island, and member of Mundus maris.
The country has invested a lot in aquaculture in recent years, also thanks to development cooperation projects. It is an attempt to increase production for human consumption in order to potentially reduce massive imports of frozen small pelagics which often could reach one million tons per year to complement high but insufficient domestic production of freshwater and marine fish from the wild, especially as resources are already heavily exploited.
During the presentations all panelists and guests spoke on the roles of the different stakeholders as they explored measures to reduce pollution that affects food resource availability and people's health.