University Don calls for the establishment of Marine National Park along Nigeria coastline to safeguard marine resources from reported cases of indiscriminate harvesting, killing, butchering and slaughtering

Three occurrences of global concerns have been reported in succession in the Nigeria coastal areas in the last one year. In the early period of 2019 precisely in the month of January, a Dolphin was intercepted and butchered rather than being rescued from the jaws of death by the host communities of coastal area in Bayelsa. As the World was mourning the death of this harmless and beautiful creature, the news of killing and slaughtering of Whale in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa was aired on the news in September of the same year. Barely few days ago the case of butchering of massive Leatherback Sea Turtle was reported in Foropa Community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
For how long will the trend of butchering , poaching and slaughtering of marine mammals especially those at the brink of extinction continues along our coastline ?
In all these aforementioned incidents two things have been observed to be shared.
One, the porosity of Nigeria coastline and two the claimed ignoramus among the populace.
There is no gain saying that sustainability cannot be achieved where there are biases for conservation practices with little cognizant of the need to promote non-consumptive values of biodiversity.
Sustainability can only thrive in an environment deviod of urge to satisfy immediate appetite at the detriment of the future. Little wonder that sustainability will always be at odds with an economic system that defiles the environment and neglect natural resources conservation. Notwithstanding, alternative means of livelihood for the local communities should be prioritised. At the same time,
Environmental Conservation programmes should be supported as a way to raise the consciousness of people on the need to preserve and conserve these valuable marine resources for posterity.
In the same vein, there is need for Nigeria to reiterate her commitment as a signatory to CITES and speedily hasten steps to
actualize the plan for the establishment of Marine National Park in Bayelsa and possibly across our coastline as stressed by the Conservator-General of National Park Service, Dr. Ibrahim Goni at the occasion to commemorate year 2019 World Wildlife Day. It is high time Conservation groups in Nigeria raise thier voices in this direction. Nigeria needs to take concrete and prompt actions to safeguard marine mammals especially those that are at the brick of extinction if the sustainability of these resources are to be achieved. Netlink Environmental Conservation Organization as a leading environmental organization in Nigeria has set up plans to continue to sensitize the populace with a view to raise thier consciousness on the importance of conservation of marine resources through establishment of Environmental Conservation Club in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions. NECOR will continue to engage relevant stakeholders especially the hunters and fishermen on the need to support conservation and sustainable management of the rich biodiversity. You are hereby enjoin to be part of this initiative as you log on our website . Thank you.
Remain Green and fresh for ever.