Nigeria and Norway strengthen partnership in fight against fisheries crime

‘Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy and a major seafaring nation. That’s why I am delighted to welcome Nigeria aboard and grateful that they have opted to support the declaration against organised fisheries crime. This is a global issue, and a significant problem in West Africa. I therefore hope that more African countries follow the Nigerian example and sign up,’ says Bjørnar Skjæran, Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy.

In 2018, Norway and eight other countries made a political declaration to tackle cross-border organised crime in the global fisheries industry. With the Nigerian accession to this declaration, the initiative now has support from 50 coastal nations.

The Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy and the Minister of International Development are both keen to see even more developing countries sign up to the declaration.

‘The fight against fisheries crime is important in our wider struggle against poverty and the pursuit of food security. Organised fisheries crime prevents the good management of fish stocks and it devastates the livelihoods of law-abiding fishermen. Developing countries need all the tax receipts they can get, and fishermen need to be confident that fish stocks will be maintained, says Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister of International Development.

The declaration is underpinned by a range of aid-oriented activities and digital common services for those countries who are partnered up to the declaration through the Norwegian Blue Justice Initiative.

‘In order to extend our reach, we have used the Blue Justice Initiative to focus on digital common services that will provide developing countries with assistance in their work against fisheries crime. This means they will also be able to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by digitalisation and innovation in this area,’ says Bjørnar Skjæran, Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy.