Cross River fishermen lament deprivation of fishing rights in Calabar waterways

Increasing numbers of fishermen from coastal communities of Cross River State are expressing anger that many of them no longer have access to local rivers where they normally eke out their living.
The fishermen lamented that they are usually blocked by armed Fulani men, including other foreigners who have allegedly bought several sections of the rivers to do large scale fishing.
One fisherman at the Nsidung beach in Calabar South LGA, Ani Eteyen, who said he has been fishing for 30 years, alleged that these foreign fishermen often reach understanding with local community leaders to cordon off certain portions of their rivers for a number of months.
“Sometimes they pay local leaders ...