By Samuel
The National Fish Association of Nigeria (NFAN) has decried the collapse of fishing farming businesses in the country as a result of the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
National President of NFAN, Dr Gabriel Ogunsanya, made this known in a press statement signed by the association’s National Publicity Secretary, Chidike Ukoh.
Ogunsanya listed challenges being faced by its members to include, among others, inadequate fish supply and production setback.
He also listed the problems of fish glut, low pricing by buyers and the inability to harvest and evacuate fish ponds and other fish-holding water bodies.
According to the association head, these challenges have hampered restocking of fishes and have caused occasional breaks in their production cycles.
Ogunsanya explained, “During the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in the country, our farmers and industry operators suffered huge losses.
“NFAN leaders had to intensify efforts and made a strong case before Exemption Duty Pass was granted to us by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Inter-Ministerial Emergency Operations Centre, so that our products and input supply services started moving further from late April 2020.”
“In the same vein, thousands of fish captured by farmers in the South-South region comprising Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa-Ibom States were thrown out of business not long ago.
“This is as a result of a government order to enable investigation into alien poisoning incidents that caused massive fish and aquatic life mortality in the creeks and coastline water bodies between March and April in the affected states.”
The NFAN boss urged the government to declare a state of emergency in the fisheries and aquaculture industry, adding that the step will help to salvage the plight of struggling fish farmers.
Ogunsanya also appealed for urgent palliatives and economic stimulus packages as a measure to help fish farmers remain in business.