Indigenous trawler owners have abandoned Nigeria water for neighbouring countries such as Gabon, Republic of Benin, Cameroon among others over rise in cost of operation occasioned by high energy cost and naira devaluation.
High cost of purchasing Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) also known as diesel by the trawler owners has led to high operating cost as the cost for running the vessel rises from N30 million to N140 million monthly.
A fishing trawler is a commercial fishing vessel designed to operate fishing trawls. Trawls are fishing nets that are pulled along the bottom of the sea or in midwater at a specified depth to fetch fish.
However, Abuja City Journal gathered that most trawlers are currently rotting away as over 40 percent are currently grounded, thereby, reducing indigenous capacity in the sector.
The chief executive officer, N&N Marine Services Limited Company, Engr. Emma Nnyamah, confirmed that some trawler owners have started abandoning Nigeria for Benin Republic, Cameroon and Gabon due to high energy cost, cost of spare parts and naira devaluation.
According to him, trawlers remaining in Nigeria are currently docked at different terminals languishing away due to high cost of operation.
He argued that aside from diesel cost, they should be given a waiver on importation of spare parts for their trawlers into the country.
“If we go to these countries, they have a Bureau for better business, in Nigeria we don’t have that and when they fish there they earn in CFA and when they come back here, the money has more value than the naira.
“So, majorly, because of the exchange rate, that’s why those people go to other countries. Not because they have a better quality shore, our prawns and shrimps are of better quality in Nigeria,”
“Currently, trawlers in the country are at dock, because of the high cost of diesel oil and Spare parts. Diesel in the sense that the price moved from N500 to N1,200 per litre, thereby, making it practically impossible for people to continue the business. For instance, you need at least 100,000litres to have a successful 45 day trip. And with that amount of diesel litres, a trawler owner needs N130 million on diesel alone.
“Spare parts, payment of the crew, feeding and lots more. Another instance is that the major maintenance to dry docking of vessels after 16 to 18 months has gone up from N4 million to between N10 million to N13 million.
“The type of increase in the industry is frightening and the cost of these vessels is now between $1.5 million to $2 million so if you do not plan well you will run at a super loss. So, the best thing for most operators is to plan for the next move and currently, some owners are beginning to go to Benin republic, Cameroon and Gabon. These are the three countries trawler owners are willing to go to.”
Engr. Nnyamah, however, called for a subsidy from the government on diesel in order to alleviate the high cost that has depleted the industry.
