Lagos State says it is improving its fisheries and aquaculture database to ensure alignment with international standards recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the European Union (EU). Both FAO and the EC advocate for improved, standardized, and interoperable fisheries data systems to support sustainable management and policy-making.
Key recommendations center on standardisation, timeliness, data quality (accuracy and completeness), reduced administrative burden, and data sharing for evidence-based decision-making.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms Abisola Olusanya noted that there are regular updates to ensure there is a comprehensive national fisheries management database to strengthen monitoring of fishing activities.
According to her, the move is part of efforts to strengthen data accuracy, improve sector planning, and boost the state’s competitiveness in global fish trade.
She noted that maintaining a unified and transparent fisheries database is a top priority to meet international recommendations.
Read Also: Okpebholo takes EU ambassadors to monarch
She explained that Lagos is working closely with industry associations and traditional fishing communities to capture reliable and consistent data across the state.
“So that data is always more or less like what we’re trying to capture—to ensure that at least the data is consistent, which is why we work closely with the associations and groups. For instance, Lagos State Catfish Allied Farmers Association (LASCAFAN). We work with them because they are regularly updating their database.”
The state’s fisheries monitoring team, she added, conducts regular field visits to verify information and assess fish farming capacities. “The team is always there to ensure that regularly our data is up to date,” she said.
According to her, the government conducts regular surveys of aquatic product resources, a crucial foundation for fisheries management, providing scientific data to prove the legality and sustainability of fishing activities.
The survey, she explained, focus on establishing the scientific basis for aquatic product resources, fishing activities, and providing data to support planning, and sustainable development of the fisheries sector.
She said all of the data are integrated into a central database, ensuring consistency in terms of methodology, standards, and management tools. Lagos, which accounts for a large share of Nigeria’s aquaculture output, is expected to use the new data framework to strengthen traceability, resource management, and compliance with international export requirements.
She noted that fisheries remains one of the most important sectors in Lagos’ cultural and economic landscape. “Don’t forget that aquaculture and fisheries are the mainstay for Lagos as a culture. When I say it’s the mainstay, fisheries is one of the indigenous occupations for Lagos,” she said.
Highlighting the cultural ties, she observed that many traditional rulers preside over fishing communities across the state. “When you look at even the traditional rulership structure of Lagos, many of the obas are governing areas that are actually fishing communities. If you talk about Oniru, they have their fishing community. If you talk about Elegushi, they have theirs. Even the Oba of Lagos, Idugoro, Marina area—they cover fishing communities. Every location in Lagos somehow has water borders, so for that reason, the traditional structure is centred around fishing.”
She emphasised that while the data may not be perfect, the state’s current update achieves a strong level of reliability. “It may not be 100 percent accurate, but at least 75 to 80 percent of our data will be up to date,” she assured.
She added that the state’s goal is not just to collect data once, but to maintain a living, regularly updated record. “We are working to consistently update and keep record of the correct data,” she said.
