This story was produced with funding from The Colonist Report Africa as part of the 2030 Marine Conservation Target reporting initiative, supported by the Earth Journalism Network.
Rivers State is one of Nigeria’s oil-rich states. Many people who have visited or worked in the state often talk about fisherman soup, which is made with various kinds of seafood. This is because some parts of the state are surrounded by rivers.
As the year 2030 draws near, countries, including Nigeria, are expected to work towards meeting their marine biodiversity targets. Under the global 30×30 goal, countries aim to protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s land, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans by 2030. The Colonist Report Africa reporter, Blossom Gilbert-Amakiri, looked into the lives of fishers in three fishing communities to understand whether Nigeria is getting closer to achieving its 2030 target and how fishing has changed since the country committed to protecting biodiversity.
In December 2022, countries around the world agreed to work towards protecting nature and preventing the loss of plants and animals by 2030. One of the main goals, known as 30×30, is to protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s land, rivers, coastal areas and oceans by 2030.
Nigeria also supports this goal. On December 9, 2023, the country reaffirmed its commitment to protecting biodiversity at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.
Nigeria has also developed a plan to protect plants, animals and their natural environment between 2025 and 2030. The plan includes restoring damaged forests and other natural areas, protecting places where plants and animals live, and taking action to address the loss of wildlife.
For fishermen in Rivers State, protecting nature is important because many families depend on rivers and the sea for food and income.
However, making these commitments is only the first step. The experiences of fishermen interviewed by The Colonist Report raise questions about what the government is doing to protect rivers and marine life, stop pollution and ensure that fishing communities can continue to earn a living.
As the 2030 deadline approaches, the question is whether Nigeria’s promises to protect nature are making a real difference to the people who depend on its rivers and coastal waters.
Industrial Vessels and the Challenges Facing Local Fishermen
Precious Asecheme, a resident of Ogan community in Okrika Local Government Area, started fishing in 1980. He usually travelled by canoe, paddling by hand to the Bonny River in Bonny Local Government Area. He told The Colonist Report Africa that one of the major challenges fishermen face is coping with the waves caused by industrial vessels operating close to local fishing boats.
Asecheme said: “These big vessels coming to our fishing areas causes waves and sometimes might cause accidents. This has made fishing limited for me and to some fishermen”.
Although the 57-year-old Asecheme stopped fishing in 2001, he recalls that sea pirates and waste discharge were among the major challenges fishermen faced in the river and at sea during his fishing days.
He continued: “The issue I face most of the times, if you are not careful with the vessels your fishing boat will sink because of the wave. These vessels when they’re coming no matter how you shout, they cannot hear. So, based on that, we stay back until it goes off then we can cross the river.
Chemical Discharges and Concerns Over Pollution
According to him, another challenge he and other fishers faced before he stopped fishing was the release of chemicals into the river, which killed fish.
Asecheme claimed that several reports had been made to local authorities, but no action had been taken. He said the people responsible were often unknown, and he recalled receiving support from LNG after his boat sank following an incident involving one of its vessels.
He told The Colonist Report Africa that several fishers had reported sea pirates, petrochemical companies and vessels that allegedly released chemicals into the river to the authorities. However, according to him, no action had been taken by those in authority. The Colonist Report Africa was unable to verify the claim at the time of publication.
“ There was a time I and my colleague boat sank due to the Vessels and that vessel was LNG, they called us to their office, apologized and gave us back our fishing boats and other things we lost. So it’s only LNG that comes to the aid of fishermen,’ Asecheme said.
Fishermen Question Government Action
Although Nigeria has committed to protecting biodiversity, findings by The Colonist Report Africa suggest that the protection of its shores and marine life remains a challenge. More attention needs to be given to biodiversity in rural communities.
Faith Minadiki, 37, from Bolo in Ogu Bolo Local Government Area, now resides in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State. He has been fishing in the river for more than 20 years. According to him, fishing vessels operate in areas where local fishers catch fish, contributing to a decline in fish availability. In some cases, the waves have also caused his boat to capsize.
Minadiki said: “ a vessel came near our fishing area, the waves caused by the vessels sank our boat and in that process I lost my colleague that went with me. So this made me not to go fishing for a year cause I was so scared.
“We lost our fishing boat and everything,” he added.
He lamented that when fishers report issues involving vessels operating in local rivers, no meaningful action is taken to address the problem.
According to him, whenever fishermen raise concerns about issues affecting them on the river, those in authority do not care because “ we’re poor .”
Fishing Trawlers and the Threat to Local Fishing Nets
Another fisherman, Golden Minadiki, who resides in Bolo Town in Okrika, sometimes spends more than a month fishing in the Kula River and its surrounding communities. He said that, throughout his 36 years of fishing, one persistent problem has been large fishing trawlers allegedly violating Nigerian government laws that prohibit large vessels from fishing in local rivers.
“When these trawlers cross to the point where they are banned to fish, their vessels would pick our local fishing nets,’ Golden said.
As the 2030 deadline approaches, fishermen in these communities hope their concerns will receive greater attention. For them, protecting biodiversity is not just about meeting international targets but also about keeping their rivers safe, protecting marine life and ensuring that future generations can continue to depend on fishing for their livelihoods.
This story was produced with funding from The Colonist Report Africa as part of the 2030 Marine Conservation Target reporting initiative, supported by the Earth Journalism Network.
