- Lagos, Akwa Ibom, two others get one each
To curb illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the country’s coastal waters perpetrated majorly by foreign fishing trawlers, the Nigerian Navy yesterday handed over six Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) riverine patrol boats it designed and constructed for use by fisheries officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The patrol boats which have flat bottom keels, are propelled by two 85HP outboard engines and capable of attaining speeds up to 15 knots. They have a length of 7.5 meters, molded beams of 2.4 meters and draught of 1.5 meters, making it possible for them to operate and maneuver within the country’s relatively shallow and winding backwaters.
Handing over the boats to the Director, Special Duties, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Fausat Lawal, at the Naval Dockyard Limited (NDL), Victoria Island in Lagos, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla expressed confidence that they would be used to monitor riverine communities towards supporting agricultural activities that do not threaten food security in the country.
He noted that IUU fishing was negatively impacting the nation’s food security, assuring that the collaborations, if continued, would see a reversal in illegal activities within the country’s maritime environment.
“As part of this collaboration, we also construct boats for use to further these operations. I believe that if we continue to further these collaborations, we will see a reversal in those illegal activities,” said Ogalla.
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According to the CNS, the six GRP boats were part of the first steps the Navy made towards localizing ship construction and maintenance, adding that they typified a transformation that has led to building naval vessels, local capacity and self-reliance in the country.
“I can vividly recall and emphasize that the Ministry of Agriculture is one of the first partners in progress of the Nigerian Navy, as the Navy and personnel of the Department of Fisheries conducted joint patrols in enforcing fishery and environmental protection laws of Nigeria.
“This is predicated on the NN’s constitutional mandate to assist other agencies of government, particularly the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to enforce fishery laws.
“Similarly, the Nigerian Navy synergizes with the Ministry in curbing national security threats such as the activities of Illegal Unreported Unregulated Fishing (IUUF) within the maritime domain…
“It is noteworthy that the boats were conceptualized, designed and built to suit the requirements of the Ministry as well as the environment in which they are to operate. Hence, the vessels are primarily tailored to effectively serve the Ministry’s needs in reaching the coastal maritime communities, providing the requisite support and assistance towards boosting agricultural and food production in Nigeria,” said the CNS.
Receiving the patrol boats on behalf of the Agriculture Ministry, Mrs. Lawal said that four of them would be donated to Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River States governments to assist in effective monitoring and patrol of their coastal waters.
She acknowledged the challenges posed by IUU fishing and other illegal exploitation of agricultural resources, assuring that the ministry was always ready to partner relevant agencies and stakeholders to tackle the menaces.
Commending the federal government for the boat, Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said it would facilitate fisheries monitoring, surveillance and collection of fisheries production data.
He said it would also aid in the elimination of IUU, a major threat to the nation’s fisheries resource both in coastal and estuarine water bodies.
Sanwo-Olu who was represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Gboyega Soyannwo, said the country’s coastal states had been confronted with challenges posed by IUU fishing activities which not only disrupted fish biodiversity but also adversely affected the
livelihoods of over 150,000 fisher-folks operating in 325 artisanal fishing communities across the 20 Local Governments (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state.
In his welcome remarks, the Admiral Superintendent, NDL, Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, said the contract for the construction of the boats were initiated, planned and executed by him while serving in the Yard as the General Manager Plans. “It is, therefore, nostalgic for me to be here for the handing over as the Admiral Superintendent/ Chief Executive Officer of the Naval Dockyard Limited.
“The contract for the boat was awarded to the Yard in 2013 by the Ministry and the Boats were completed since 2013. I can clearly recall that the Ministry of Agriculture only provided a broad guideline on the nature and use of the boats during the pre-contract phase. “The Yard then went ahead to conceptualize, design and build the boats to suit those requirements while factoring the operating environment in designing and construction…