Gov. Abubakar Bagudu said on Tuesday while receiving officials of the programme in Birnin Kebbi that the state’s huge fisheries potentials were being affected by the effects of climate change.

He noted that even the Matanfada river, where the Argungu International Fishing Festival takes place, is already drying up.

Bagudu said in spite of the set back, the government was determined to invest in the sector as the “state has the potential to do much better in fishery, just like rice farming”.

“We are going to improve fishing activities in the state because Kebbi is the home of farmers and fishery.

“Many fishermen around Nigeria particularly in places like Bornu, Kogi, Taraba are from Kebbi.

“We acknowledge that climate change is frustrating our fishing activities in the country.

“In 2018 I visited Argungu, the Emir of Argungu took me to Matanfada, we stood on its stone and he said never in his life had he ever seen the stone with his naked eyes which was at the bottom of the river, but now drying up,” he said.

The government will mobilise all fishing communities to change the situation, he said.

The governor, therefore, urged the world fish programme to bring in its expertise and work with local experts to improve the situation.

Bagudu said his administration’s target was to help lower income earners get out of poverty.

Earlier, the World Fish Program Coordinator, Dr Harrison Charo, said they were in the state on the invitation of the governor to assist in harnessing the enormous fish resources available in the state.

Charo said ”we are ready to work and improve the status of fishing activities in the state.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that representatives of Gwandu, Arungungu and Yauri Emirates, made presentations on the effects of climate change, use of chemicals and smaller nets on fish production in the state