Operation Abo Eja Steps Up Nigeria’s Fight Against Illegal Fishing

Three fishing trawlers and about 30 crew members were intercepted during Nigeria’s latest maritime crackdown on suspected fisheries violations, as authorities seek to protect depleted local fish stocks.

The operation, named Abo Eja, meaning “Fisheries Protection” in Yoruba, brought the Nigerian Navy together with the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Naval ships, helicopters, Special Boat Service personnel and surveillance assets took part, coordinated through the Western Naval Command Mission Control Centre. Fisheries officials helped identify violations of fishing regulations.

The patrol comes as Nigeria imports more than 70% of the fish it needs. Annual demand stands at about 3.6 million tonnes, while local production is roughly 1.1 million tonnes, leaving a deficit of approximately 2.5 million tonnes.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing also carries a financial cost. A United Nations assessment puts Nigeria’s annual losses at more than $30 million, while the Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria estimates the figure at about $70 million. The damage extends beyond lost revenue, with illegal fishing removing fish faster than stocks can replenish, threatening breeding populations and damaging marine habitats.

Marine pollution and plastic waste add pressure to the waters on which legitimate fishermen and the wider fisheries industry depend. Operation Abo Eja was launched aboard Nigerian Navy Ship KADA in Lagos as part of a wider effort involving the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea.