Nigerians may be unaware, but genetically improved tilapias are on the
way to the country and should arrive this month, May 2022. According to
reports, the improved tilapia is to be introduced following “an
inclusive legal agreement” between WorldFish and Premium Aquaculture
Limited through a programme on genetically improved farmed Tilapia
(GIFT). According to a report from the Nigerian Investment Promotion
Commission, “This agreement will augur the establishment of a GIFT-based
aquaculture industry in Nigeria. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
(BMGF) and the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID) are collaborating with WorldFish and PAL on this endeavor with
the aim of having WorldFish/PAL GIFT tilapia in Nigerian fish markets by
late 2023.”
The genes used to improve the tilapia could have come from a variety of
organisms, including other fish, coral, mice, bacteria, or even humans.
They are basically produced to suit industrial aquaculture models with
doubtful regard for possible ecological, environmental concerns.
FishNet Alliance, a network of fishers in several African countries, is
concerned that apart from the environmental and health challenges, it is
unclear which agencies of government have had a hand in this
transaction.
“Improved Tilapia will not tackle the root cause of challenges in the
fisheries sector in Nigeria. Neither will it solve the hunger and
malnutrition problems in the country,” stated Stephen Oduware,
coordinator of the FishNet Alliance. “The issues affecting the Nigerian
fisheries sector namely: pollution due to oil and gas and other minerals
exploration and exploitation; insecurity and piracy; illegal, unreported
and unregulated fishing activities of national and international
trawlers – leading to overfishing of both target and non-target species
of fish; destruction of the mangrove forests amongst other issues – are
matters that government should focus attention on.”
Fish farming in Nigeria is done mostly close to the river or in the
creeks and there are fears that there could be interactions between the
“genetically improved” fish and the relatives in the wild. If such fish
were genetically engineered, research has shown that releasing as little
as sixty fish into a wild population of 60,000 would lead to the
extinction of the wild population in less than 40 fish generations . The
implication of having genetically improved tilapia released into the
wild is not known.
A new study has found that genetically engineered (genetically modified
or GM) zebrafish (Danio rerio) have escaped from fish farms in Brazil
and are multiplying in creeks in Brazil . Researchers say that their
results “confirm that escapes from aquaculture facilities are common and
could bring severe consequences to local fish populations including
endemic, rare, and threatened species.” They conclude that the
production of non-native species should be avoided and transgenic fish
should be banned.
“The escape of GM fish from Brazil should be a big wake-up call for
our Nigerian Regulators and Government,” says Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje,
coordinator of the Food Sovereignty Program with Friends of the Earth
Nigeria and Africa. In 2020 Friends of the Earth USA released an updated
list of 80 grocery retailers, seafood companies, food service companies
and restaurants with more than 18,000 locations nationwide that have
stated that they will not sell genetically engineered salmon,
demonstrating a widespread market rejection of the first commercial
offerings of the first genetically engineered animal approved for human
consumption in the U.S.
Groups such as HOMEF and ERA/ FoEN, GM Free Nigeria that are concerned
about genetically engineered organisms in the country have consistently
complained about the weak nature of biosafety regulatory framework in
the country. They have also called for increased transparency,
accountability and public engagement before considering approving new
life forms into our environment and biodiversity.
Reacting to the news of genetically improved tilapia on the way to
Nigeria, the director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nnimmo
Bassey, cautioned that “The Nigerian environment is already bedeviled
with many genetically engineered crops and products of which farmers and
consumers are not aware of. We are concerned that the introduction of
genetically improved tilapia may be a step towards the introduction of
genetically engineered fish into the country. Moreover, we are not aware
that there was consultation with majority fishers and consumers in the
country before the so-called inclusive agreement that opened the door
for this tilapia specie was signed.
The Alliance made of over 50 groups said”As stakeholders concerned with the wellbeing of our aquatic ecosystems,
we see the so-called gift of genetically improved tilapia as potentially
having adverse effects on our food system and on the livelihoods of
millions of fisherfolks and processors. We also call on our government
to put a stop to approvals of genetically modified fish, animals, or
plants in Nigeria until the biosafety regulatory system is strengthened
and tightened. We also demand that in all cases ppublic participation
should be mandatory to ensure transparency and the Precautionary
Principle should be adhered to strictly in all cases.
“FishNet Alliance calls on the Nigerian government to provide resources
to public fisheries and oceanography institutions for healthy management
of our aquatic ecosystems and resources rather than opening the gates
for novel varieties, coming under the guise of philanthropy that may
negatively affect our food systems. We hope that the genetically
improved tilapia will not be used as an opening to sneak in genetically
engineered fish into our environment and dining tables.”
Signed
FishNet Alliance
GMO Free Nigeria
Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF)
We the People
Kabetkache Women Development and Resource Centre
Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN)
Committee on Vital Environmental Resources (COVER)
Speak Nigeria
Urban Rural Environmental Defenders (U-RED)
Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI)
The Young Environmentalist Network (TYEN)
Oilwatch Nigeria
Green Alliance, Nigeria (GAN)
Host Communities Network of Nigeria (HoCoN)
Eco Defenders Network
Foundation for the Conservation of the Earth (FOCONE)
Lekeh Development Foundation (LEDEF)
Urban Alert
Elena De Light Foundation
Angel Support Foundation
President to People’s Encouragers Initiative
Society for Development
Centre for Environmental Advocacy and Development (CEDA)
Africa Faith & Justice Network Nigeria (AFJN-N).
Urban-Rural Environmental Defenders (U-RED)
Society for Development
Basic Rights Action (BRA)
Sustenance of the Nig. Environment (OSNE)
Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA)
Niger Delta Development Initiative
Greenleaf Advocacy and Empowerment Center
Center for Human Rights Health Ethnic Harmony and Livelihood Development
(CHHELD)
The Ebonyi Coalition of CSOs
Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD
Nigeria)
CLO South South Zone
Centre for Human Rights and Development (CEHRD)
Centre for Media Environment and Development Communications (CEMEDEC)
National Point
Gender and Advocacy Justice Initiative (GAJI)
Jelu New Breed Foundation
Ohaka Women and Children Development Organization
Women Environment and Youth Development Initiative (WOYODEV)
Pearls Care Initiative (PCI)
Glorious Teens Ministry (GTM)
Grass to Amazing Favour Global Foundation
Women Environmental Programme (WEP)
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