Additional income generating activities for fishermen wives in Kainji Lake basin

The quest for food security and poverty alleviation among rural fisherfolks is imperative in the context of rural development. Rural fishermen and women do not only partake in fishing and related activities in order to make ends meet but also seek more sustainable ways of absorbing shocks and reducing their vulnerability to unforeseen economics conditions. These they do through diversification of their efforts to such activities that enables them have good leverage over poverty and food scarcity. It is in this context that Nigerian-German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) sought to assist the fisherfolks to help themselves by training the fishermen wives on knowledge and skill acquisition in Soya bean processing and utilization as a means of generating additional income for the household in Kainji Lake basin. This work was therefore carried out in order to make an objective investigation into the impact of this training on the economy of the fisherfolks. Sixty respondents, who constitute fishermen wives, were randomly selected from twelve fishing villages in the basin. 76.7% of those interviewed affirmed that the project has increased their income while others agreed that it has actually reduced their expenditure on food while increasing food supply and variety for the household

Occupational practices and problems of rural artisanal fisherfolks in Oyan Dam area of Ogun State

Artisanal Fish Societies constitutes one of the poorest societies in the developing world. Attempts to harness the potentials of the societies have often failed due to the enormity of the problem of poverty. This study was conducted in four major fishing villages namely; Abule titun, Apojola, Imama Odo and Ibaro in order to investigate the occupational practices and the problems of rural artisanal fisherfolks in Oyam's Dam, area of Ogun State. Eighty respondents were randomly selected among the artisanal fisher folks for interview using interview guide. The findings revealed that 43.8% of the fisherfolks are within active range of 31-40 years while 30% are within 21-30 years range. Also 31% had no formal education indicating a relatively high level of illiteracy among the fisherfolks while majority of the respondents practice fishing activities using paddle and canoe. It was similarly discovered from the study that the most pressing problems of the fisherfolks is the lack of basic social amenities like electricity, potable water, access roads, hospitals and markets. It is therefore recommended that basic social infrastructures be provided for the artisanal fishing communities in order to improve their social welfare, standard of living and the capacity to have a sustainable fishing occupation in the interest of food security and poverty alleviation

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

Poverty alleviation among fishermen within the floodplains of Kaduna River: implication for introducing commercial fish farming at village level in Doko local government area of Niger State, Nigeria

A diagnostic survey was conducted among the fishermen in six selected villages in Doko Local Government Area of Niger State. One hundred and fifty fishermen were randomly selected and interviewed to find out whether or not they had interest in commercial fish farming aimed at improving their livelihood. The dwindling fish catches in the natural flood plain ponds and Ex-bow Lakes continue to have a serious negative effect on the socio-economic well being of the village communities in question. A break on natural regular annual flooding of the plains had resulted into very low natural fish recruitment. Data analysis using simple descriptive statistics revealed that land tenure system, educational status, inadequate infrastructural facilities, religious taboos, existing fish species among others were found to be favourable indices for commercial fish farming. However, serious conflicts among the fishermen concerning the ownership status of these natural fish ponds are found to be major obstacles to commercial fish farming despite that the traditional ownership of the ponds were vested in the lands of individuals and village communities. Extensive fish farming and small-scale fish farming in the ponds and Ex-bow Lake with improved management practices are considered to be profitable venture. Despite the fact that fish seeds supply and extension effort are still inadequate, the fish farmers have indicated willingness to adopt commercial fish farming in the Ex-bow Lakes and flood plains in order to restore abundant fish production thereby providing for their food security and also increasing the daily income

The role of fishermen cooperative societies in the development of fisheries resources on Kainji Lake basin, Nigeria

Field survey was conducted to evaluate the role of fishermen cooperative in the development of fisheries resources in Kainji Lake. The study was conducted with aid of questionnaires administered in five fishing villages namely Monnai, Yuna, Kaya, Malale and Tunga Danbaba. Ten questionnaires were administered in each fishing village majority of the fishermen interviewed are between the ages of 20-40 years. The results of the educational background revealed that 60% of the respondents were knowledgeable only on Quranic education. Majority of the respondents (86%) was members of fishermen cooperative societies. Only 32% of the respondents indicated to have benefited for loan and credit facilities. Sixty-nine (69) percent of fishermen realized income of between N1, 000-N2, and 000 daily. The major problem facing fishermen cooperative includes lack of capital, lack of access to loan and credit facilities, shortage of adequately trained and well-motivated fisheries extension workers, inadequate fishing inputs and high charge of fishing license fees by Kainji Lake fisheries Management and Conservation Unit (KLFMCU). Recommendation was made on how to improve fishermen cooperative for the development of the lake fisheries resources

Occupational practice and problems of artisanal fisherfolk in Oyan dam area of Ogun State

Artisanal Fish Societies constitutes one of the poorest societies in the developing world. Attempts to harness the potentials of such societies have often failed due to the enormity of the problem of poverty. This study was conducted in four major fishing villages namely: Abule Titun, Apojola, Imala Odo and Ibaro in order to investigate the occupational practices and the problems of rural artisanal fisherfolks in Oyam's Dam, area of Ogun State. Eighty respondents were randomly selected among the artisanal fisher folks for interview using interview guide. The findings revealed that 43.8% of the fisherfolks are within active age range of 31-40 years while 30% are within 21-30 years range. Also 31% had no formal education indicating a relatively high level of illiteracy among the fisherfolks while majority of the respondents practice fishing activities using paddle and canoe. It was similarly discovered from the study that the most pressing problems of the fishfolks is the lack of basic social amenities like electricity, potable water, access roads, hospital and markets. It is therefore recommended that basic social infrastructures be provided for the artisanal fishing communities in order to improve their social welfare, standard of living and the capacity to have a sustainable fishing occupation in the interest of food security and poverty alleviation

The status of the artisanal fishery of Lake Victoria, Kenya, with notes on improvements to the catch data collection system

Catch and effort assessment surveys have been used to assess trends in fish landings in Kenyan waters of Lake Victoria since 1976. Landings reached a maximum of 200000 t annually in 1989-1991 as Nile perch, Lates niloticus (L.), catches increased due to an expansion in stock size and increased fishing effort. CPUE peaked at 180 kg boat day-1 in 1989 and decreased thereafter with increasing effort. By 1998 total Nile perch catches were half those at the beginning of the decade despite increased effort. Catches of Rastrineobola argentea (Pellegrin) have levelled off despite increased effort.

A comparison of monofilament gillnet and small hook longline selectivity in a multispecies artisanal fishery in the Algarve, southern Portugal

As part of the ongoing studies concerned with the small-scale fisheries of the South of Portugal, experimental fishing was carried out with monofilament gillnets and small hook longlines within the same area. Sixty-two species were caught, of which 20 were common to both gears. Pronounced differences in terms of the relative importance of different species in the catches were observed. Size selection patterns also differed, with highly overlapped hook catch distributions and few species showing evidence for size selectivity. In contrast, strong selectivity was characteristic of species which tend to be wedged in gillnets. Whereas smaller stretched mesh sizes (particularly 40 and 50 mm) caught significant numbers of illegal sized fish, this was mininmal in the longlines. Some implications for management are discussed.

Corals, fishermen and tourists

Two major anthropogenic activities that disturb coral reefs are fishing and tourism, even though coral reefs are important for both fishing and tourism. Already more than 60 per cent of all reefs worldwide are endangered. The use of explosives and poison by small-scale fishers, to supply the market for live fish for aquariums and for human consumption, cause irreversible damages to reefs. Similarly, rapid and unmanaged coastal development for marine tourism negatively affects coral reefs in many ways. Though marine parks and marine protected areas are being promoted all over the world, developing countries need assistance in establishing and assessing such reserves and for taking appropriate actions for rehabilitation of reefs. These can be accomplished through partnership projects.

The Programme for Integrated Development of Artisanal Fisheries in West Africa

The Programme for Integrated Development of Artisanal Fisheries in West Africa (IDAF) was initiated in 1983 to help some 20 coastal states from Mauritiana to Angola which wished to develop and manage their artisanal fisheries through participatory and integrated approaches. IDAF was initially financed by Denmark and Norway. The second phase of the programme which started in January 1989 and its third phase, July 1984 are entirely financed by Denmark through the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA). IDAF objectives and activities to meet its goals are briefly discussed together with its beneficiaries and accomplishments.

Census of Active Commercial Fishermen in Puerto Rico: 2008

The implementation of Puerto Rican Regulation No. 6768, which overhauled the existing fishery management framework, generated considerable hostility towards local managers. Among the controversial management measures adopted in 2004 were the assignment of fishing licenses based on fishing income, the establishment of closed seasons, and new minimum size restrictions for commercially valuable species. Though tensions have subsided, considerable opposition to these regulations remains. This paper provides a characterization of the current population of active small-scale fishermen, discusses their perceptions about the biological and socio-economic condition of the fishery, and describes their attitudes towards the new management framework. This study revealed that the number of active fishermen decreased from 1,731 in 1988 to 868 in 2008. Although a declining resource base was one of the main drivers behind these waning participation statistics, rising fuel costs and burdensome regulations exacerbated the rate of attrition. The majority of the fishermen were middleaged men (50 years) with moderate levels of formal education and high levels of fishing dependence which limited their employment opportunities outside the fishery. Most of the vessels were small (20 ft) and outfitted with a single outboard engine (80 hp). Hook and line and SCUBA were dominant gears because of their versatility and cost effectiveness. Fishermen suggested that their opposition to the regulations would continue unless they were afforded greater regulatory flexibility and provided with a larger role in the decision-making process. Fishermen were adamant about the need to reconsider the income reporting requirements to secure a fishing license because of the potential for losing public assistance benefits. They also objected to increasing the minimum size of many deepwater snapper (Lutjanidae) and grouper (Serranidae) species because it forced them to discard dead fish, a practice they consider wasteful since these species do not survive the ascent to the surface once hooked.

Preliminary Analysis of the Feasibility of Transferring New Longline Technology to Small Artisanal Vessels off Northeastern Brazil

The catches of three longliners, including two recently converted small artisanal vessels and one large leased foreign longliner, were compared to provide some indication of the feasibility of transferring new longline technology to small vessels in the northeastern Brazilian pelagic longline fishery. Comparisons of catches between the two recently converted vessels operating across the same spatial and temporal scales showed no significant differences for the main target species, providing evidence to suggest that adoption of the technology was rapid and straightforward. A comparison of relative catch rates between one of the recently converted small longliners and the leased longliner across the same temporal scale, but in different areas, showed that while there were significant differences detected for some species, contributing to a significant reduction in total CPUE, the relative abundance of commercially important species within the operational range of the smaller vessels was sufficient for economically viable catches. The results showed that the net financial profit from the artisanal longliner was almost 10 times greater than that derived from existing fishing methods. The inclusion of some artisanal vessels in this fishery may help address the social and economic problems currently faced by fi

The Commercial, Subsistence, and Recreational Fisheries of American Samoa

Domestic fisheries in American Samoa landed 587,000 lb of fish and invertebrates in 1991 worth $993,000. Most of the catch (78%) and value (80%) was taken by the shoreline subsistence fishery that occurs on the coral reefs surrounding the islands. Artisanal fisheries for offshore pelagic fishes (primarily skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis; and yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares) and bottomfishes (snappers, emperors, groupers) accounted for 16% and 3%, respectively, of the domestic catch. Recreational tournament catches for pelagic fishes represented the remainder (3%). While sportfishing is becoming increasingly important, other domestic fisheries have declined in recent years. The shoreline subsistence fishery has dropped by about 25% over the past decade owing to socioeconomic factors and possibly overexploitation. Artisanal fisheries have also declined precipitously in recent years owing to hurricane-related damages, attrition of fishermen, and competition with imports. Artisanal fisheries show some potential for growth, but may be constrained by marketing issues, vessel capabilities, and limited stock sizes (for bottomfish) or local availability of high-value (pelagic) fishes. In contrast to the small-scale domestic fisheries, American Samoa is also homeport to a distant-water fleet of large purse seiners and longliners that fish beyond the EEZ and deliver about 160,000-220,000 short tons of tuna per year to local canneries.

The By-catch From the Artisanal Shrimp Trawl Fishery, Gulf of Paria, Trinidad

Samples of shrimp trawl catches were collected from a commercial artisanal vessel fishing inside the 6-fm isobath in the Gulf of Paria, Trinidad. From August 1986 to May 1987, 34 late evening-early morning trawl trips were made and 97 hauls were sampled. Annual ratio estimates were 9 (SD 1.3) finfish:shrimp and 14.7 (SD 2.0) by-catch: shrimp, with the highest ratios observed August through December and the lowest from late January through May, the dry season. Extrapolation of ratios, using shrimp catch statistics, indicates that for 1986, 974,000 kg of finfish and 620,000 kg of crabs, Callinectes spp., were caught incidentally by artisanal shrimp trawlers fishing in the Gulf of Paria. Of this total incidental catch (1,594,000 kg), about 1,500,000 kg were discarded (94 percent). Four penaeid shrimp species are targeted: Penaeus schmitti, P. notialis, P. subtilis, and Xiphopenaeus kroyeri. Callinectes spp. were caught in large quantities from Augustto mid-January. Small (4-15 cm) pelagic and demersal species of little commercial importance dominated the finfish by-catch: Harengula spp., Cetengraulis edentulus, Chloroscombrus chrysurus, Eucinostomous spp., Diapterus rhombeus, and Cyclopsetta spp. Altogether, the monthly percentage of the species ranged from 70 to 85 percent of the total finfish by-catch.