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The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has met with the Ghanaian Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, to strengthen bilateral cooperation on fisheries governance, sustainable fisheries management and the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The minister emphasised the need for stronger coordination between Nigeria and Ghana in tackling IUU fishing, describing the menace as a shared concern with serious implications for food security, government revenue and the livelihoods of fishing communities.
He noted that effective cooperation between the two countries would strengthen the wider regional response to illegal fishing and contribute to the sustainable management of shared fisheries resources.
The minister highlighted Nigeria’s pilot implementation of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels as a practical platform for enhanced cooperation with Ghana, particularly in verifying vessel authorisations and exchanging relevant information through the FCWC framework.
According to him, technical teams from both countries could work together to identify discrepancies in vessel authorisation records and establish agreed procedures for resolving them, thereby improving transparency, compliance and fisheries monitoring across the subregion.
“Our shared interest is to protect fisheries resources, expand sustainable production and strengthen the livelihoods of our people. Nigeria remains committed to working with Ghana towards these objectives,” Oyetola said.
In her remarks, Hon. Emelia Arthur commended Nigeria for its efforts in combating piracy and for the significant strides recorded in the Marine and Blue Economy sector.
She reaffirmed that the fight against IUU fishing remains a priority for Ghana and pledged her country’s full cooperation with Nigeria in addressing the challenge.
The Ghanaian Minister also disclosed that Ghana had developed its own Marine and Blue Economy policy and sought Nigeria’s support in sharing knowledge and experience, noting Nigeria’s pioneering position in developing such a policy framework.
The request underscores the importance of knowledge-sharing and policy collaboration between both countries as they pursue sustainable ocean governance, improved fisheries management and the development of their respective blue economy sectors.
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