VZCZCXRO6855
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0095/01 0611440
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021440Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0542
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0161
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

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 
 
LAGOS 00000095  002 OF 003 
 
 
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. 
 
 
LAGOS 00000095  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶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.