Brass Terminal oil spill: 3,000 fishermen suspend fishing

No fewer than 3,000 fishermen operating in fishing settlements on the Atlantic coastline in Bayelsa have suspended fishing activities following an oil spill from Brass Oil Export Terminal.

The Chairman of Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (ARFAN), Mrs Elizabeth Egbe, made this known when she spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenogoa on Thursday.

Egbe told NAN that the spill contaminated the fishing gear of fishermen, adding: “the spill had grounded economic activities for fishermen who depend on the Atlantic coastline.

“Some of our members who encountered the spill last week got their fishing nets and gear soaked in oil.

“Oil stains render the nets unusable as the smell repels fishes. Moreover, oil destroys the magnets attached to the nets,’’ she said.

The chairman said dead fishes now littered the Opoama coastline due to the oil spill, adding that members of the association would remain out of business until the water was sanitised.

According to her, the spill will lead to scarcity of fish in Bayelsa and environs.

She appealed to government and management of Agip to come to the aid of the communities and bring respite to them.

All efforts to get Agip spokesman, Mr Tajudeen Adigun, to comment on the spill proved abortive. (NAN)