Lagos targets increased fish production with additional 60,000 metric tons
The Lagos State government plans to raise the level of fish production in the state by additional 60,000 metric tons within the next one year.
The state currently produces about 174,000 metric tons of fish annually while demand stands at over 400,000 metric tons, leaving a huge deficit of over 226,000 metric tons. The targeted additional 60,000 metric tons, the state government said on Thursday, would further reduce the deficit and move the coastal state steadily towards its goal of self-sufficiency in fish production.
The commissioner for agriculture, Abisola Olusanya, who stated at a news conference preceding the state’s annual seafood festival, said the 60,000 metric tons of fish would include both fingerlings and table size production to what already exist in Lagos.
The seafood festival is slated for Sunday, December 13, 2020 at the the Muri Okunola Park, Lagos, Victoria Island.
“The target is to increase our production. The demand for fish in Lagos is well over 400,000 metric tons and what we are producing as a state is at about 174,000 metric tons, so there is a deficit of about 226,000 metric tons.
“In terms of the target, we just ended our five-year master plan roadmap strategy document which will be unveiled by Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu and the plan is to cover the deficit by a certain percentage.
“Already, the Lagos Aquaculture Centre for Excellence which was mentioned during governor’s budget presentation, states that for the project alone, we should be adding over 60,000 metric tons of fish, both fingerlings and table size production to what exists already in Lagos.
“Outside of what we want to do with our fisher-folks in terms of them increasing production and aquaculture producers as well in terms of the support, we will like to give to them and create additional farm estates.
“We should be able to increase our fish production by at least 50,000 to 60,000 metric tons in year 2021,” she said.
Olusanya said with additional production from the Lagos Aquaculture Centre (LACE), the state through registered fish farmers, artisanal fishermen and the Lagos aquaculture would increase production over a period of time.
“For the LACE alone, it should be over 60,000 metric tons. That is obviously over a two to threeyear period for the project to fully come to life. Within the first year, we should be able to get 20,000 metric tonnes.
“From our fishermen and those in the aquaculture subsector, we should be able to get a minimum of 40,000 metric tons extra, so we are looking towards an additional 60,000 metric tons for 2021 and subsequent years,” she said.
The commissioner explained that the state had commenced the registration of fishermen in the five divisions of the state to capture the youths, adding that the target was to register over 10,000 in the process.
“As we speak, we have partnered with some private financial institutions and right now registrations are ongoing in some fishing locations in the five divisions of the State such as Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry, Lagos Island and Ikeja.
“Right now, the private financial institution is registering youths in Ikeja, we are concentrating on the youth because they will take over from the aging fisher-folks who don’t have records and details that we can trace back to them in terms of capturing and empowerment,” Olusanya noted.