The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in Nigeria has expressed its readiness to partner with Norway on satellite surveillance of Nigerian waters. This partnership aims to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and protect the country’s marine resources from exploitation. The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, made this announcement when he received Norway’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Svein Baera, in his office in Abuja.
Ambassador Baera introduced the Blue Justice initiative, which provides participating countries with free satellite-based Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel-tracking data through the Blue Justice Ocean Surveillance Programme. He invited Nigeria to join the Blue Community, a network of countries participating in the initiative. This programme will enable Nigeria to detect suspicious vessel movements, identify so-called “dark vessels” that evade tracking, and tackle illegal fishing and other maritime crimes.
The Blue Justice Ocean Surveillance Programme will provide Nigeria with both real-time and historical vessel-tracking data. This will enable relevant authorities to monitor maritime activities, investigate suspicious movements, and identify patterns associated with illegal fishing. Ambassador Baera stated that the initiative will support Nigeria’s efforts to protect its fisheries resources, improve maritime surveillance, and strengthen enforcement against illegal operators.
Minister Oyetola commended the Norwegian government for the initiative and its longstanding collaboration with Nigeria. He assured that Nigeria will key into the programme to strengthen the fight against illegal fishing. Oyetola expressed concern that foreign operators illegally harvest fish from Nigerian waters, only for the products to be returned to the country and sold to Nigerians at exorbitant prices.
Oyetola stressed that illegal fishing undermines local livelihoods, deprives the country of legitimate economic benefits, and threatens the sustainable management of its aquatic resources. He noted that satellite surveillance and improved intelligence sharing will strengthen the government’s ability to identify suspicious activities and support more effective enforcement of fisheries regulations.
The Minister further disclosed that the Federal Government is pursuing measures to boost local fish production, reduce dependence on imports, create jobs, and conserve foreign exchange. He emphasized that the protection of Nigeria’s waters is an environmental responsibility and an economic imperative. The goal is to protect fish stocks, safeguard the livelihoods of fishermen, and ensure that marine resources contribute meaningfully to national development.
The partnership between Nigeria and Norway is expected to enhance the country’s capacity to combat illegal fishing and protect its marine resources. The programme will provide Nigeria with the necessary tools to monitor its waters effectively and take action against those who engage in illegal fishing activities. This collaboration is a significant step towards sustainable management of Nigeria’s aquatic resources and the development of its blue economy.
Key points
- Nigeria partners with Norway to combat illegal fishing through satellite surveillance.
- The partnership aims to protect Nigeria’s marine resources and promote sustainable management of its aquatic resources.
- The programme will provide Nigeria with real-time and historical vessel-tracking data to monitor maritime activities.
