Nigeria is set to make additional in roads into the United States and Europe shrimps markets, sequel to the 100 per cent technical compliance of 23 industrial fishing companies with the Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) , having had the TED installed on their trawlers, signalling a positive development for the country’s shrimps’ marketers and the nation’s forex earning potentials.
The 23 companies include , Atlantic Shrimpers Limited (ASL), which had 9 of its vessels inspected on Thursday, 12th September, 2024 and 2 on Friday, 13th September, 2024, making 11 from the company; Barnaly Group had 5 of its vessels inspected on Thursday, 12th September, 2024 and 2 inspected on Friday, 13th September, 2024, making 7 of its vessels inspected and found to be TEDs’ technically compliant.
The other companies are ORC Fishing and Food Processing Limited, which had only 3 of its vessels inspected and found to be TEDs’ technically compliant on Friday, 13th September, 2024. Both Seabless and Karflex had 1 apiece of their vessels inspected on Thursday, 12th September, 2024 (Seabless), and on Friday, 13th September, 2024 (Karflex)
This feat was made possible by a combination of stakeholders, led by the newly created Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue (FMMBE) Economy, headed by His Excellency, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, and which has the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Department which was hitherto with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, transferred to the FMMBE.
The TEDs’ verification event which held on 12th September , 2024 in Lagos was flagged off by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON , represented by the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Olufemi Oloruntola .
Earlier, the Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Wellington Omoragbon submitted that; “The implementation of TEDs aligns with global conservation efforts and regulations especially for our trade partnership with the United States of America, with many other countries are now recognizing the importance of sustainable fishing practices leading to the establishment of stricter guidelines and certifications for fisheries.
‘’By adopting TEDs, fishers can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, opening doors to new markets that prioritize eco-friendly products. This not only enhances their reputation as a marine conserving nation but also ensures better prices and demand for their catch.”
The other stakeholders include majorly the Nigerian Institute for Marine and Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), a multidisciplinary marine research institute and Nigeria’s prime institute for marine sciences; the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association (NITOA) , which comprises Vessel Owners and to some extent, Vessel Captains; the technical men – Fisheries Inspectors, the Net men as well as the United States (U.S) TEDs’ Inspection Team of Jared Milton and Blake Price.
The United States (U.S) TEDs’ Inspection Team of Jared Milton and Blake Price were the technical examiners who later gave the result of their technical evaluation.
The United States (U.S) TEDs’ Inspection Team of Jared Milton and Blake Price had arrived Nigeria on Wednesday, 11th September, 2024, from Gabon, where they went to carry out similar evaluation.
Jared Milton and Blake Price carried out the inspection, ably assisted by the Federal Fisheries Inspectors and the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association (NITOA), comprising Vessel Owners submitting their vessels as well as the Trawler Vessel Captains and Nets’ men cooperating by submitting their nets.
The exercise lasted two gruelling days, with the inspectors moving from vessel to vessel with few minutes of breaks in between for lunch.
The last day of the TEDs verification, which was Friday, 13th September, 2024, was capped with the debriefing exercise and closing ceremony.
The TEDs Verification, which is bi-annual, has seen Nigeria gaining certification and recertification 14 times in the past. The last time, the technical evaluation fetched Nigeria 98%. But Nigerians who love to go all the way prepared well to get past the 98% scored the last time.
The announcement by Jared Milton, later endorsed by Blake Price was : “And, we are here today, after completing two days of meticulous inspection of the turtle excluder devices, onboard the commercial shrimps’ trawlers here in Nigeria, I figure that the report was 100%.” To this, there was a great applause!
The Permanent Secretary who represented the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, by the result, challenged the industry not to relent on its oars and should “make this 100% TEDs’ technical compliance a benchmark to take better advantages of best practices in fishing and sustainable exploitation of our marine resources.” He pledged more support of the ministry to the industry and Nigerians.
Apapa, Lagos: With the Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) installations on a total of 23 Industrial Companies’ fishing trawls, 15 inspected on Thursday, 12th September, 2024 and 8 vessels inspected on Friday, 13th September, 2024, to see if their shrimps’ fishers’ nets were TEDs’ technically compliant, and they all turned out to be, the result of 100% technical compliant was the most hilariously welcomed by all the Nigerian Trawl Owners companies. This is because of the economic implication for the Nigeria Industrial shrimps’ marketers and the forex earning potentials for the country.
This feat was very well pursued by a combination of stakeholders led by the newly created Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue (FMMBE) Economy headed by His Excellency, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, who has the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Department which was hitherto with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, transferred to the FMMBE.
Earlier, the Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Wellington Omoragbon submitted that “The implementation of TEDs aligns with global conservation efforts and regulations especially for our trade partnership with the United States of America, with many other countries are now recognizing the importance of sustainable fishing practices leading to the establishment of stricter guidelines and certifications for fisheries.
By adopting TEDs, fishers can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, opening doors to new markets that prioritize eco-friendly products. This not only enhances their reputation as a marine conserving nation but also ensures better prices and demand for their catch.”
The other stakeholders include majorly the Nigerian Institute for Marine and Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), a multidisciplinary marine research institute and Nigeria’s prime institute for marine sciences; the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association (NITOA) made of Vessel Owners and to some extent, Vessel Captains; the technical men – Fisheries Inspectors, the Net men as well as the United States (U.S) TEDs’ Inspection Team of Jared Milton and Blake Price. The United States (U.S) TEDs’ Inspection Team of Jared Milton and Blake Price were the technical examiners who later gave the result of their technical evaluation.
Atlantic Shrimpers Limited (ASL) had 9 of its vessels inspected on Thursday, 12th September, 2024 and 2 on Friday, 13th September, 2024, making 11 from the company; Barnaly Group had 5 of its vessels inspected on Thursday, 12th September, 2024 and 2 inspected on Friday, 13th September, 2024, making 7 of its vessels inspected and found to be TEDs’ technically compliant.
The other companies include ORC Fishing and Food Processing Limited, which had only 3 of its vessels inspected and found to be TEDs’ technically compliant on Friday, 13th September, 2024. Both Seabless and Karflex had 1 apiece of their vessels inspected on Thursday, 12th September, 2024 (Seabless), and on Friday, 13th September, 2024 (Karflex)
The United States (U.S) TEDs’ Inspection Team of Jared Milton and Blake Price had earlier arrived in Nigeria on Wednesday, 11th September, 2024, from Gabon, where they went to carry out similar evaluation.
On Thursday, 12th September, 2024, immediately the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Olufemi Oloruntola flagged off the TEDs’ verification,
Jared Milton and Blake Price plunged into the inspection ably assisted by the Federal Fisheries Inspectors and the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association (NITOA) made of Vessel Owners submitting their vessels as well as the Trawl Vessel Captains and Nets’ men cooperating by submitting their nets.
The exercise lasted two gruelling days, with the inspectors moving from vessel to vessel with few minutes of breaks in between for lunch.
The last day of the TEDs verification, which was Friday, 13th September, 2024, was capped with the debriefing exercise and closing ceremony.
The TEDs Verification, which is biannual, has seen Nigeria gaining certification and recertification 14 times in the past. The last time, the technical evaluation fetched Nigeria 98%. But Nigerians who love to go all the way prepared well to get past the 98% scored the last time.
The announcement by Jared Milton, later endorsed by Blake Price were: “And, we are here today, after completing two days of meticulous inspection of the turtle excluder devices, onboard the commercial shrimps’ trawlers here in Nigeria, I figure that the report was 100%.” To this, there was a great applause!
The Permanent Secretary who represented the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, by the result, challenged the industry not to relent on its oars and should “make this 100% TEDs’ technical compliance a benchmark to take better advantages of best practices in fishing and sustainable exploitation of our marine resources.” He pledged more support of the ministry to the industry and Nigerians.
