NIGERIA: AFRICA'S LARGEST PRODUCER OF CATFISH HOPES TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LAGOS 000095

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR OES/PCI NFITE, MGERDIN
STATE PASS OPIC FOR DERB, ZHAN, MSTUCKART, JEDWARDS
STATE PASS TDA FOR LFITTS, PMARIN
STATE PASS USAID FOR NFREEMAN, GBERTOLIN, GWEYNAND, SLAWAETZ
STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS
DOC FOR 3310/USFC/OIO/ANESA/DHARRIS
DOC FOR USPTO-PAUL SALMON
TREASURY FOR DFIELDS, AIERONIMO, RHALL, DPETERS
TRANSPORTATION FOR KSAMPLE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHSA EAID TPHY PGOV GH NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: AFRICA'S LARGEST PRODUCER OF CATFISH HOPES TO
IMPROVE THE SPECIES

Ref: 08 Lagos 398


1. (U) Summary: Mr. Rahman O. Oguntade, the Nigerian Institute of
Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) principal catfish
researcher told Pol-Econ Associate on February 17 that African
catfish constitutes over 70 per cent of fish farmed in Nigeria.
NIOMR is providing training on fish farming to 120 youths from the
Niger Delta. During a visit of the Regional Environmental Officer
(REO) in December 2008 to the Institute, officials of NIOMR said
Nigeria is Africa's largest producer of African catfish. NIOMR is
conducting research to genetically improve the species. Officials of
the Federal Department of Fisheries told REO that the fishing
industry employs about one half percent of Nigeria's total
population of over 140 million and contributes around 2 percent to
GDP. Nigeria complies with U.S rules requiring Turtle Excluding
Devises (TEDs) and seeks ways to harmonize regulations, laws and
fisheries policies throughout West Africa (Ref). The industry is
profitable and has attracted foreign fishermen, but the cost of
diesel and constant power failures are major challenges facing the
growing domestic industry. The Department is also seeking solutions
to piracy and mercury testing. End Summary.

Nigeria is Africa's Largest Producer of Catfish
-------------- ---


2. (U) Regional Environmental Officer and Pol-Econ Associate met
December 2, 2008 with Dr. G.R. Akiode, the Director and other NIOMR
officials. According to NIOMR officials, Nigeria is Africa's largest
producer of catfish. They added that the institute is conducting
research on how to genetically improve the African catfish. In a
conversation on February 17, 2009, Oguntade told Pol-Econ Associate
that African catfish constitutes over 70 per cent of fish farmed in
Nigeria. He noted that African catfish is high in protein and easy
to raise. NIOMR raises African catfish and shrimp in fiberglass and
rubber containers of about 2 meter radius. They also said that they
are raising and harvesting tuna but do not have the adequate
post-harvest technology to preserve and maintain proper food safety
standards.


3. (U) Nigeria is compliant with U.S rules requiring Turtle
Excluding Devices (TED) and wants to collaborate on a regional level
to harmonize regulations, laws and fisheries policies throughout
West Africa. All the officials agreed that the Fisheries Agreement
signed between the European Union and African countries is
unfavorable to the African countries. The Japanese government
donated a flume tank to the institute to test the efficiency of a
model net before production.

NIOMR Provides Training to Niger Delta Youth
--------------


4. (U) NIOMR is providing fish farming training for six weeks to 120
youth from Ondo, Akwa Ibom and River states under the federal
government's National Food and Security Program aimed at alleviating
poverty and restoring peace in the Niger Delta, Rahman Oguntade,
principal catfish researcher of NIOMR told Pol-Econ Associate on
February 17. This program started on January 19, 2009 and these
youths are the first group to be trained. At the end of their
training, they will be attached to private farms to implement what
they have learned. Other youths from the region will also benefit
from this program, Oguntade said.

NIOMR Measures of Costal Currents, Shore Erosion
-------------- ---


5. (U) NIOMR started a program in 1992 to measure coastal currents
but it ended when the instrument was washed away and NIOMR could not
replace it, Awosika said. However, from April 2000 to May 2001,
NIOMR again conducted a project to measure offshore water currents.
This project included the measurement of current speed and direction
at selected offshore locations; deployment of surface drifter buoys
to define movement of the surface water layer; measurement of water
temperature and salinity and measurement of river outflow at
selected rivers. In 2006, NIOMR undertook an oceanographic study of

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the Goshen Estate Beach within the Lekki lagoon in order to protect
the estate from erosion and flooding.


6. (U) NIOMR officials said that they have no access to satellite
information with which to map the coast line, lack equipment in labs
and have difficulties training young scientists in the field of
marine research.

Fisheries Sees Aquaculture Expand
--------------


7. (U) On December 1, 2008, REO and Pol-Econ Associate also met with
Mr. Evaristus Edet, Assistant Director, Federal Department of
Fisheries (FDF) and three Section Chiefs in Lagos. FDF is
responsible for controlling and regulating fisheries activities
along Nigeria's 800-850 kilometer shoreline, as well as for
registering vessels, industry cold rooms and certifying export
products. In 2008, the Department registered 170 vessels; each
operator paid a fee of about N130,000 (approximately USD 1,000).
Nigeria's rich fishing grounds have attracted foreign fishermen from
China, India, Spain, Holland and Belgium but only licensed operators
are authorized to fish in Nigeria's territorial waters, Edet said.


8. (U) The fishing industry is divided into three sectors:
industrial, non-industrial and aqua-culture fishing. Industrial
fishing is carried out mainly by trawlers. These operators are
required to respect the rules and regulations contained in the
Fisheries Act. The department has recently introduced laws on
non-trawling zones, by-catch reduction devices (BRDs) and TEDs in
order to protect the marine environment. Non-industrial fishing is
mainly small scale fishing using motorized and non-motorized canoes
in inland rivers, lakes, and lagoons. Aqua-culture fishing is
expanding using new technology that uses fiber glass ponds of about
1.5-2 meter radius. With this new technology, individuals can raise
fish in the backyard of their homes, FDF officials told REO.

Economic Benefits and Consumer Safety
--------------


9. (U) According to Edet, the fishing industry employs about one
half of one percent of Nigeria's total population of over 140
million people and contributes around 2 percent to GDP.
Approximately 99 percent of the fish and shrimp caught i.e., 18,000
metric tons of fish and 6,000 metric tons of shrimp is brought to
Lagos for sale. European Union (EU) standards are observed and most
exports are to Europe and South America. The FDF conducts tests in
its laboratory and since 2004 no product certified by it has been
decertified, FDF officials said. It also tests for metals, pathogens
and cadmium from sample water taken from the fishing grounds. Once a
year, fisheries councils from all states meet to deliberate on
issues affecting the fishing industry and these annual deliberations
are often incorporated into national policies.

FDF Seeks Solutions to Piracy, Mercury Testing
-------------- -


10. (U) The fishing industry is growing, FDF officials told REO, and
faces significant challenges. Sea piracy is rampant, the cost of
diesel to run trawlers is increasing, electric power to run coastal
facilities fluctuates and no machines are available to test for
mercury in fish, FDF officials said.


11. (U) Nigeria's 1982 Fisheries Act states that fisheries observers
should be on board a vessel but because FDF officers are not insured
and do not have their own vessels, only shore-based inspection is
conducted. However, the Nigerian Navy is alerted when illegal
fishing is reported.
In order to better protect the ecosystem, the department reviewed
the law and proposed a participatory management system that
considered the interests of other related departments like the
marine and oil and gas sectors, Ministries of Environment and
Housing, and fishermen, and is expecting its proposal to protect the
ecosystem to be implemented in late 2009.


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12. (U) Edet asked for U.S. support to train federal officials to
protecting the marine environment and to buy equipment from a
California company.


13. (U) REO and Embassy Abuja have cleared this cable.