FishNet Alliance urges govt to delineate marine protected areas


 
The FishNet Alliance has called for support for fishers in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom state and in other coastal communities across Nigeria whose livelihoods have been adversely impacted by Covid-19 and other human induced environmental stressors.
It said the government should delineate marine protected areas in suitable locations and support fishers to lead efforts to protect such areas.


This call was made during a community dialogue hosted by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and attended by members of the FishNet Alliance at Ibeno at the weekend.
The Alliance which is an initiative of HOMEF, also provided fishnets and food items to the Ibeno fishers who earlier this year, suffered a fire outbreak that destroyed their homes and fishing gears.
The Director of HOMEF, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, noted that fishers are essential to both local and international economies, but unfortunately, are among the most vulnerable groups especially in the midst of the Covid19 pandemic.


According to him, the continuous pollution of the Niger Delta by oil and gas related activities is unacceptable and government must heed to the call for the cleanup of the entire polluted Niger Delta communities.
He emphasized that government must recognize and restore the dignity and rights of the people of the coastal communities to a decent livelihoods as fishers, fish processors and marketers.
He used the opportunity to also condemn the oil spill in Mauritius’ pristine marine ecosystem and noted that impacted fishers must be supported and the environment cleaned.


“It is astonishing that we could have an average of five oil spills a day in the Niger Delta without government declaring a state of environmental emergency in the entire region. This is unacceptable,” Bassey stressed.
The chairman of the FishNet Alliance in Akwa Ibom state, Rev Sam Ayadi, called on the government to consult and engage fishers in the drafting of policies to protect the aquatic ecosystems.

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