The potentials for commercial production of fish feeds in Nigeria

Studies in fish feed technology revealed that there is a potential for big time investment into fish feed production and marketing in view of the growing awareness of fish farming in Nigeria. Intensification of aquaculture is one of the primary methods of food (finfish) production which requires technical knowledge and expertise in the formulation and manufacture of adequate feeds for the cultured species. Studies also revealed that all sort of food items were used by fish farmers ranging from animal dung, groundnut cake etc, to culture fish to table size because of non-availability of rightly prepared feeds. Inadequate knowledge of detailed requirements of tropical cultured species was found to pose a hindrance to formulation despite the fact that a lot has been accumulated in terms of biochemical and nutritive values of food sources in Nigeria. The investigation further revealed the challenges posed to researchers in aquaculture, fish nutritionists and fisheries biologists among others to elucidate the complete requirements of local fish species in terms of their protein, lipid and carbohydrate requirements such that their patents could be made available to companies like PFIZER, IBRU etc, and individuals alike to make commercialization of fish feeds a reality

Commercial production of natural freshwater fish food

A review is made of some of the methods that can be used for mass cultivation of natural fish food and the types of organisms that are cultured, which include various algae and zooplankton. Some examples are given of successful case histories in the mass cultivation of natural fish food in order to stimulate the interest of Nigerian scientists on research activities of live fish food for use by fish farmers in the country

Investment opportunity in aquarium technology. Export marketing of tropical aquarium fishes

A brief account is given of the demand for ornamental fish, providing also estimates of world trade volume. The major importing countries are the USA, Japan, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. Present supply patterns are outlined; although Nigeria has vast natural resources of tropical aquatic life and the right climate for breeding, current exports are estimated at only 5% of the total potential. Recommendations for the promotion of exports of tropical aquarium fish in Nigeria are included

Marketing and distribution of fish from Lake Chad

This study provides information on fish quantities, economic data and flows of Doro fish market near Baga, Nigeria, known as the major fish market on the Nigeria section of the Lake Chad

The role of women in marketing of frozen fish in Lagos State of Nigeria

The involvement of women in the marketing of frozen fish in Lagos State (Nigeria) was examined in this study. Two hundred questionnaires were administered to fish marketers in five markets randomly selected within the Lagos metropolis based on their storage capacities. These markets were Balogun (500 tones), Idumagbo and Idumota (250 tonnes each) Obalende and Epetedo (37.5 tonnes each). From the study results, a greater percentage of women (64.2%) are actively involved in marketing of frozen fish in the study areas. Over 56% of these traders are retailers while about 33% are wholesalers. More than 91% of the marketers were found to be literate. A high percentage of the frozen fish are imported (68%), 27% from coastal fishing and 5% from riverine fishing. The commonest fish in the markets were titus (34%), sardine (32%), hake 19%, catfish 10% and argentine 5%. Catfish has the highest profit margin. The greatest problem of these traders is the lack of modern storage facilities and where available, the erratic power supply constitutes a problem

Food and feeding habits of Tilapia zilli (Pisces: Cichlidae) in Ondo State University fish farm

The food and feeding habits of Tilapia zillii in the fish farm of Ondo State University, Akungba - Akoko, Nigeria, were studied by gut analysis. Examinations of 150 specimens showed that Nymphea formed the main bulk of food consumed. Spirogyra, Pithophora and Compsopogon occurred frequently while Pistia detritus and plant remains featured less frequently. Variation in the frequency of occurrence of the various food items was observed among the various sizes of samples. The samples within the middle - size group fed on both higher plant and filamentous algae while the young and higher fish consumed exclusively filamentous algae. On the basis of food items found in the gut, Tilapia zillii was classified as primary consumers

Food composition and digestive enzymes in the gut of the African electric catfish Malapterurus electricus (Gmelin 1789) (Malapteruridae)

Analyses of stomach contents of 330 Malapterurus electricus (standard length, 10.1-30.5 cm) in Mahin Lagoon (southwestern Nigeria) established it as a bottom feeder. There was a preponderance of insects accounting for >80% occurrence and >25% of total volume in stomachs of specimens, suggesting a stenophagous predatory habit. Qualitative and quantitative assays of digestive enzymes in the different regions of the gut (oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, ileum, rectum) were investigated. Carbohydrases (amylase, maltase), chitinase, proteases (pepsin, chymotrypsin, trypsin) and lipases were detected in different gut regions with different activity. The pattern of distribution and relative activity of the enzymes correlated with the predatory diet

Absorption of food in the black-jaw tilapia, Sarotherodon melanotheron (Ruppell) from a small tropical man-made lake in Ibadan, Nigeria

The carbohydrate, protein and lipid contents of the food ingested and their absorption in the intestine of Sarotherodon melanotheron inhabiting Awba lake in Ibadan, Nigeria, were investigated. Total carbohydrates of the ingested food ranged from 39.33 to 55.38% (mean = 48.70% while total protein and total lipid ranged from 10.10 to 17.13% (mean = 12.91%) and 7.79 to 8.96% (mean = 8.28%) dry weight, respectively. Calculated total percentages absorbed were 54.86-62.01 (mean 58.07) carbohydrates 47.33-54.06 (mean = 50.43) protein and 43.27-52.23% (mean 46.56) lipid. Absorption of protein and carbohydrate occurred mostly in the fore-gut (the first one-third of the intestine), while lipid was mostly absorbed in the mid-gut (the second one-third of the intestine). Dietary carbohydrate, protein and lipid contents of the food as well as the absorptive capacity of the intestine for these components of the food varied with size of fish

An investigation of the effect of replacing fish meal with soyabean meal, groundnut cake and blood meal at varied proportion on growth and food utilization of the Clarias anguillaris fingerlings fed in outdoor hapas

Fingerlings of Clarias anguillaris obtained from a homogenous source through induce breeding and each with a mean weight of 2.8g were stocked in ten hapas each measuring 1.0x1.0m in outdoor concrete tank and were fed for eight (8) weeks. Results shows that the best growth rate was recorded among fingerlings fed fish meal as the only protein source (TD5) while DT2 containing soya bean, groundnut cake (40%), blood meal as the protein sources came next. The growth rate of fingerlings fed DT2 (40 % groundnut cake, 10% soyabean meal and 10% blood meal) was higher than those fed DT4 containing 10% fish meal but lower than those fed DT5 which has fish meal as its sole source of protein (53.0%). Analysis of various growth parameters like SGR, FCR and PER. shows that DT5 was the overall best diet but there was no significant statistical difference in weight gained by fish fed the five diets (P <0.05)

Nutritional habits and food consumption pattern of fishing communities around Lake Kainji, Nigeria

The findings are presented of a nutrition survey carried out in the framework of the Nigerian-German Kainji Lake Fisheries Promotion Project in March/April 1995. The major aim of the study was to obtain closer information on the food habits and food consumption patterns of the fishing population, especially the quantification of fish and small fish in particular, consumed at the household level. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect relevant information on demographic, education and occupational profiles; the information was collected in 39 villages in the southern sector of Kainji Lake. (PDF contains 75 pages)

Marketing of fishing gear materials and fishing gear making in parts of Kainji Lake basin

The importance of fishing gear in fishing cannot be over-emphasized; as without it fish cannot be obtained. The method used to catch fish affects the condition in which the product is landed. This means that a bad-catching method would produced bad fish to the consumer. To achieve the goal of self-sufficiency in fish production in Nigeria, there is need to address the lingering problems of fishing gear and craft technology, especially in terms of availability of materials and their cost. The sale and making of fishing gear materials are two areas of fisheries, which are yet to be exploited by the general public as forms of businesses for livelihood. The study is conducted in villages around the lower part of Kainji Lake, towards the dam, including New Bussa. It reveals that only the fishermen themselves are involved in making their own fishing gears while those involved in the selling of fishing gear materials like the sheet netting, ropes, twines, floats, sinkers etc are business men and women who may not have any experience of fishing. Also considered in the study is the art of making fishing crafts like the canoe and gourd. Very few entrepreneurs are involved and they are so skilled that each is specialized in the making of only one kind of craft or gear

Food security and poverty alleviation under the National Special Programme for Food Security: a preliminary socio-economic assessment of Yamama Lake, Kebbi state, Nigeria

The World Food Summit in its meeting in Rome in 1999 estimated that 790 million people in the developing world do not have enough food to eat. This is more than the total populations of North America and Europe combined. Nigeria is one of the developing countries affected by hunger, deprivation and abject poverty by its citizenry inspite of its enormous natural and human resources. To reduce poverty and increase food supplies to the masses the Federal Government of Nigeria embarked on a programmed-tagged National Special Programme for Food Security (NSPFS) in the year 2002. The programme's broad objectives are to attain food security in the broadest sense and alleviate rural poverty in Nigeria. One of the areas of the programme's intervention is in the aquaculture and inland fisheries development because Nigeria imported 681mt of fish in 2003 with a total cost of about N50 million. The paper assesses the socio-economic conditions of one of the selected water bodies (Yamama Lake) with a view to introducing community-based fisheries management plan for the rational exploitation and management of the fishery and other aquatic resources of the water body thereby increasing fish supply and improving the living standard of the fisherfolk in the area. Data were collected using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools and questionnaire administration

Investment opportunity in improved fish smoker (IFS) as food security for artisanal women fish processors (AWOFPS) in Nigeria: a case study of Kainji Lake area

The Improved Fish Smoker (IFS) was designed and constructed by NIFFR in collaboration with GTZ in 1997. After the on-station trials, five fishing villages with pronounced fishing activities were selected for the demonstration. The IFS and the traditional Smoking Kiln were compared in one of the fishing villages using Gross Margin analysis (GM) and productivity index to determine the profitability and productivity of the two kilns. It was found that the average income of IFS users at fully capacity was N5, 555.50 per day in a year N1.3 million would be realized. Conversely, the average income of the users of Traditional Smoking Kiln (TSK) was N649.00 per day and about N152, 150.50 would be realized in a year. From this estimate, it is evident that the IFS are more profitable than the TSK. Productivity index of the two kilns also revealed that the productivity of IFS is higher than the TSK. Thus, using the IFS would enhance the income of artisanal women Fish Processors (AWOFPS) and ensure food security for the household

Assessment of inland waters fisheries in Nigeria with implications for improved freshwater fish production, poverty alleviation and food security

Rapid Appraisals of the current fisheries situations of some selected inland water bodies in Nigeria were carried out within the framework of Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries Project (AIFP) Annex II of the National Special Programme for Food Security (NSPFS). This paper presents the results of the fishery assessment of one of the selected inland water bodies (Sabke Lake) in Nigeria with a view to optimizing the fish yield through the adoption of improved culture based fishery techniques and community-based fisheries management. The lake is unmanaged and the fishing pressure was found to be very high. Also a number of fishermen were found using small mesh size nets to crop the juveniles of highly valued fish species for an optimum catch. About 14 fishermen ought to have been engaged in full time fishing activities if the fisheries of this lake is to be managed on a sustainable basis. However, a surplus of over 100 fishermen was recorded actively fishing during the period of the study. The results further revealed that Fisheries Rules and Regulations were not established for the national exploitation and proper management of the fisheries of many inland water bodies including Sabke Lake. All these have a depilatory effect on the abundance and sizes of fish harvested from the nigerian inland water bodies especially Sabke Lake. A community based management system that establishes a participatory involvement of fishermen in the conservation and national exploitation of fisheries resources for their own well being is recommended for Sabke Lake and other inland water bodies in Nigeria

International sources of fisheries information to enhance fish production, poverty alleviation and food security in Nigeria and developing Nigerian Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Database

The paper viewed the decline in information provision in Nigeria to poor library development, which could be attributed to poor funding. The consequence is that current journal and books are not available in nigerian fisheries libraries. Information which can be regarded as the first factor of production on which other factors like land, labour and capital depend, can only be provided at the right time when libraries are better founded. For now if there must be increase in fish production, poverty alleviation and food security in Nigeria, our fisheries scientists and policy makers will have to rely on international sources of information using the advantage of internet connectivity. Some of such sources discussed in this paper are ASFA, AGORA, FAO DOAJ, FISHBASE, IAMSLIC, INASP, INASP-PERI, INASP-AJOL, ODINAFRICA, SIFAR, WAS, and ABASFR. However, reliance on international sources must not be at the total neglect of harnessing nigerian fisheries information. For the Nigerian Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Database being developed by NIFFR to attain an international status like those enumerated above, scientists and publishers are requested to take the pain of depositing copies of their publications with NIFFR for inclusion in the Database