LAGOS HOLDS SEAFOOD FESTIVAL
LAGOS HOLDS SEAFOOD FESTIVAL
…To Project Aquaculture Potentials To Local, International Markets
Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal has said that the 2019 Seafood Festival will hold at the Muri-Okunola Park, Victoria Island on Sunday, 22nd December, 2019, with a view to projecting the aquaculture and seafood potentials of the State to both the local and international markets.
Lawal made the disclosure today at a Press Conference to formally announce this year’s festival organised by the State Government, in collaboration with Sirocco Productions Limited, noting that the festival would also project the State’s diverse seafood resources and bring to the fore its immense potentials and inherent investment opportunities.
The Commissioner explained that the Festival themed “Celebrating the Seafood Diversity of Lagos State”, would also feature various local and exotic seafood dishes for the enjoyment of all guests and participants, just as he assured that preparations have been concluded to ensure that the festival is a huge success.
In his words, “As you are well aware, Lagos State is a maritime State with a coastline of about 180km along the Atlantic Ocean and a vast network of lagoons, creeks, rivers and estuaries, which accounts for 22% of its 3,577 KM2 land area and has fishing as well as supporting activities as the predominant occupation of the people living in the coastal and estuarine areas of the State”.
“Thus, the State Government is organising the 2019 Lagos Seafood Festival scheduled to hold at the Muri-Okunola Park, Victoria Island on Sunday, 22nd December 2019. The aim is to showcase Lagos State aquaculture and seafood potentials to the local and international markets as well as stimulate the growth of entertainment and tourism in the State”, the Commissioner noted.
According to him, tourism, culture and entertainment are fundamental activities in the State with the potential of boosting its creative economy and making it a tourist destination for both local and international tourists when fully developed, stressing that the festival would also spotlight Lagos on the international tourism calendar as a tourist destination.
“Other objectives of the Lagos State Seafood Festival include developing a network or linkages among stakeholders; sharing knowledge and technology used in the industry and exchanging information on products and services available in the global market; and creating jobs as fresh investments are attracted into the fisheries sub-sector”, Lawal averred.
He said that the Seafood Festival would also impact on the State as there would be increased tourism activities, increased consumption of various fish-based culinary services available in the State, ease marketing for locally produced or processed fish, attract increased investments along the fisheries value chain and enhance fishing activities, thereby increasing fish production.
Lawal explained that the Festival would be a celebration of the State’s seafood products and services featuring processed and fresh seafood, entertainment, music, culture, commerce, competitions and various cooking lessons.