Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has said that he will advance collective action against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, describing it as a major threat to marine sustainability and regional stability.
Speaking after his election as Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) during the 16th Conference of Ministers of the FCWC, hosted by Nigeria last week in Lagos, Oyetola warned that unregulated fishing would rob the region of economic opportunities, threatens food security, and undermines the livelihoods of millions who depend on the sea.food.
According to the statement by the minister’s media aide, Dr Bolaji Akinola, Oyetola the minister said in his acceptance speech after his election that “together, we must put an end to the scourge of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in our waters. This menace robs our nations of economic opportunities, threatens our food security, and undermines the livelihoods of millions who depend on the sea.”
“Under my chairmanship, I will work collaboratively with all member states to ensure stronger enforcement, better data sharing, and improved governance of our shared marine resources,” he declared.
Oyetola emphasized that his tenure would prioritise regional cooperation, transparency, and capacity building as tools to strengthen the collective management of ocean resources within the West Central Gulf of Guinea.
He noted that effective ocean governance is a shared responsibility that demands political will, coordinated enforcement, and sustained partnerships across borders.
According to the statement, the high-level regional meeting, held under the theme “Securing Our Ocean Future: People, Resources, and Commitments”, brought together ministers and senior officials from FCWC Member States, including the Republic of Benin, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo, alongside representatives of regional institutions, international partners, and maritime experts.
GIK/APA