Despite the importance of the capture fisheries sector in providing livelihoods and animal protein in Nigeria, the industry has suffered persistent neglect for an extended period. This has resulted to severe overfishing, with many stocks on the verge of collapse. On the other hand, Ghana has been lauded for implementing policies aimed at sustainable management of its fisheries resources and maximizing the resource rents. This project aims to transfer knowledge to Nigeria from Ghana’s experience designing and implementing a fisheries management plan, which regulates fishing efforts based on bioeconomic analysis of fisheries data. EfD Nigeria and Ghana will be involved in the project. The activities of the project include in-depth interaction between researchers and policymakers from both countries and hands-on training and peer learning on the simple bioeconomic analysis (based on a biomass model with logistic growth function as well as Schaefer harvest and cost functions) that underpins the management plan for small pelagic species and formulation of a blueprint for the development of fisheries management plan. The EfD-Ghana centre director (Prof. Wisdom Akpalu), who has worked closely with the stakeholders in Ghana on the FMP, will guide the process of sharing Ghana’s plan with the stakeholders in Nigeria. The stakeholders will include the academia, the sector ministry, representatives of fishers’ associations, and relevant NGOs.
Deliverables and outcomes
First, the policymakers will learn and understand the need to work together to develop the sector in the West African region, given the transboundary nature of fisheries. In addition, one of the key outcomes is a fisheries management plan for small pelagic species. The plan will outline the strategy for managing capture fisheries in Nigeria. If developed and implemented, the plan will stem the menace of open-access fisheries and IUU in Nigeria. An outcome of the project is the development of a blueprint for a Fisheries Management Plan for small pelagic species.
