FISON Enquires For A Comission For Fisheries

In the dispatch, FISON also urged the federal government to review the drafted Fisheries Act 2014 to accommodate more details on aquaculture legislation, especially in the areas of certification and support, fines and penalties on workers in the industry.

In an opening address, the National President of FISON, Dr. Olajide Ayinla, said the purpose of bringing the workshop to Nigeria was to ensure that participants have a clear understanding of the principles behind fisheries and aquaculture governance, since the new administration in Nigeria is expected to deliver good and participatory governance in all sectors of the economy.

Dr. Ayinla noted: “This is the first time a fisheries governance training is held in Africa and Nigeria is the first to host aquaculture governance training in the world.”  

Participants at the training suggested an urgent review of the syllabus used by Nigerian universities, polytechnics and monotechnics in fisheries and aquaculture to accommodate good governance practices and entrepreneurship in order to make their graduates responsible and productive fisheries practitioners.

FISON stressed on the need to promote support in fisheries and aquaculture at production end of the value chain to ensure that it’s only the producers that benefit for sustainable operation in the sector.

The society also stressed the need for Nigeria to improve the budget allocation to fisheries sub-sector in line with the Maputo declaration on national agriculture budgetary allocation.