An Examination of the Legal Regime for the Protection of Living Resources of the Gulf of Guinea

The discovery of off shore hydrocarbon deposits in the Gulf of Guinea has gone a long way to increase the geostrategic importance of this marine area. As a result of the quality of oil extracted from the region which has low sulphur content and coupled with the restiveness of the Persian Gulf, many hydrocarbon consumers are shifting interest to the Gulf of Guinea. This paper examined the legal regime for the protection of the living resources of the Gulf of Guinea. The paper revealed the existence of a wide range of laws to protect the dwindling fortune of the Gulf of Guinea but these laws and policies are grossly flawed. The paper concluded that until adequate strategies are devised towards enhancing the effectiveness of the laws as a means of protecting the living resources of the Gulf of Guinea, the region will continue to experience adverse environmental conditions and security challenges.