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A strong advocate of marine conservation, Professor Ikenna Onyema, has emphasised the urgent need to address plastic pollution in the country’s waters in order not to cause fish exodus.
Onyema gave the advice recently during a webinar on the occasion of 2024 World Fish Migration Day organised in Lagos State by the Society for Ecological Restoration, University of Lagos (UNILAG) Students Chapter.
He highlighted the detrimental impact of plastics on fish migration and proposed solutions such as phasing out single-use plastics, organising community clean-up exercises, and implementing policies against environmentally harmful plastic materials.
During the webinar themed, 'Flowing Free', he stressed the importance of research to develop alternatives to plastic pollution in the environment, especially on the oceans.
Acknowledging Nigeria’s crisis-level plastic pollution, Onyema cited examples from other countries such as Japan and the UK where measures to reduce plastic usage had been successful.
He urged Nigerians to opt for reusable items and actively participate in clean-up events while advocating policy changes.
In response, Coordinator of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), UNILAG Students Chapter, Prof Excellence Akeredolu, highlighted the significance of the webinar in addressing the devastating impact of plastic pollution on fish populations in Nigeria.
He called for increased funding for research to provide alternatives to plastics and emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts to restore the ecological integrity of waterways.
The SER, UNILAG Students Chapter, also engaged Grade 5 pupils from the University of Lagos Staff School to raise awareness about aquatic biodiversity and the threats to fish migration.
The students discussed the reasons for fish migration and the dangers posed by plastic pollution in the aquatic environment.
They encouraged the pupils to reduce plastic usage and properly dispose of plastic wastes, while also promoting the reuse and recycling of plastics.
As part of the event, the pupils were provided with drawing materials to express their understanding of fish migration through art.
