Lagos – A fishing mariner with the Onward Fishery, Lagos, Mr Cosmas Onyeatuga, on Wednesday called for a close monitoring of fishing trawlers in the country to avoid tax evasion.
Onyeatuga told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that many trawlers operating in the country short-changed it.
He said that some foreign trawlers licensed to operate in Nigerian waters did so without recourse to the laid down procedures.
“The state fishing law says that every fish harvested in Nigerian waters ought to land in any of the country’s jetties before any transaction or export.
“But because they want to avoid paying required royalties, they sell on-shore and mostly to neighboring countries, thereby denying the state it’s due.
“The state is talking of blocking economic loopholes to shore up revenue earnings; therefore state agents like the Nigerian Navy involved in maritime administration need to live up to their calling,’’ Onyeatuga said.
He said that tax evasion and other sundry activities of the companies negated the nation’s regulations and posed danger to its food security.
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He said that fresh water products like shrimps that were in abundance in the country’s waters rarely got to the local markets, thereby creating artificial scarcity in the country. (NAN)
