Nigeria is seeking to leverage the €59 million West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme (WASOP)
Nigeria is seeking to leverage the €59 million West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme (WASOP), a European Union-backed regional initiative designed to strengthen ocean governance, sustainable fisheries management and marine ecosystem protection across West Africa, to combat illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this during a meeting with the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, in Abuja.
The development was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the minister’s Special Adviser, Bolaji Akinola.
According to estimates by the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria loses about $70 million annually due to outdated fishing regulations, illegal fishing activities, inadequate monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, and the persistent exploitation of the country’s waters by unlicensed operators.
