Stakeholders advocate registration, certification of fishery imports/exports

Fishery stakeholders have demanded that all local fishery products be registered and certified for export or import.

The stakeholders made the demand in Lagos at the conclusion of a four-day aquaculture capacity workshop hosted by the Norwegian Seafood Council in order to increase local aquaculture exports.

A communiqué signed by all workshop attendees contains the demand, as well as other stakeholder proposals.

Officers from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Nigerian and Norwegian Customs, Norwegian Seafood Council, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), fish producers, processors, and exporters are among the stakeholders.

The Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture is the competent authority for the certification of all fisheries goods for import and export, according to the recommendations to the Federal Government.

They stated that the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, in partnership with the states, would register all fish farms across the country for the purposes of export, inspection, data gathering, planning, and record keeping.

The stakeholders also suggested that the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, in partnership with the states, classify registered fish farms into micro, small, medium, and large businesses.

According to the communiqué, financial incentives should be provided to investors along the fisheries and aquaculture value chain to enable them to set up billboards/signposts for a comprehensive statistical fish investments database.

They urged that stock fish and stock fish heads be removed from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s list of prohibited products.

The stakeholders also emphasized the importance of completing and perfecting the Aquaculture Residue Monitoring Plan as quickly as possible so that farmed fish can be exported into the EU and other nations.

They proposed that fish farms be kept informed about available financing options, such as CBN Grants for fish farms, and how to apply for them.

They also suggested that the Federal Department of Fisheries create a functional website for stakeholders to acquire information on current needs for the fisheries and aquaculture value chain.

They urged all stakeholders in the industry to incorporate optimal aquaculture management practices into operational activities for processed Nigerian farmed fish products in order to gain access to local and international markets.

The stakeholders also emphasized the importance of following established biosecurity protocols in all fish farms.

The Norwegian Seafood Council was also requested to assist in the upgrade of the Nigerian Fisheries Laboratory with cutting-edge technology and competency training in line with current norms.

They also requested assistance with the country’s mariculture growth, stock assessments of Nigerian marine resources, and the completion and approval of the Nigeria Aquaculture Residue Monitoring Plan.