Various types of canoe fishery in Ikot Abasi

Ikot Abasi, one of the six maritime local government areas in the Cross River State has a longstanding reputation as a fishing centre in Nigeria. Here various types of fishery are practiced. A description is given of 5 definitive areas, the criteria of which are either on the type of gear used, for example hook fishery or on the type of fish species landed e.g. Bonga. For a period of 12 months some detailed observations were registered on how they operate in 4 coastal fishing ports of Uta Ewa, Okoroeta, Iko and Kampa all on Atlantic coastline of Opobo

A review of the commercially exploited marine fishery resources of Nigeria

The annual estimated total marine fish catch in Nigeria for the period 1971 to 1979 is 0.3299 million metric tons. The differential distribution pattern of the predominant fish groups for the maritime states, the component species, their life habits in relation to hydrographic factors leasing to seasonal fluctuations in the fisheries are highlighted, focussing also on the types of fishing carafts and gear in common use along the coastal states and the fish species obtained from them. The landings by the exploratory and commercial fishing trawlers including the distant water vessels (imports) form about 4.24% of the total marine fish landing

Techno-economic considerations of shark driftnet fishery, off Lagos coast, Nigeria

Experimental fishing operations with driftnets were conducted in Lagos coastal waters with a view to finding out appropriate gear for effective exploitation of sharks and other pelagic fish species that are not normally caught in trawls. The design and fabrication of the driftnets as well as the fishing trials were undertaken between May, 1977 and April, 1978. Six baited driftnet sets of equal panels with three stretched mesh sizes of 190.5mm; 228.6mm and 241.3mm were used. Analysis were carried out on species composition of catches, weight and number of species/group of fish, catch efficiency of the driftnets as well as on operating costs and financial returns

Fischbestände der Ostsee, ihre Entwicklung seit 1970 und Schlussfolgerungen für ihre fischereiliche Nutzung - Teil 2: Hering

The herring of the Baltic Sea shows a complicated population structure. Comparable to herring in other areas it can also be discriminated as spring and autumn spawning herring. Autumn spawning herring has been nearly vanished since the late 1960’s. Baltic Sea spring spawning herring show a broad variety as far as morphometric and other biological characteristics are concerned. It seems not very likely that all those differences are genetically based. The spawning sites of populations are, however, often clearly separated and such groups of herring are in most cases characterized by distinct differences in individual growth. Therefore for assessment purposes it is necessary to distinguish between as small as possible units in order to not endanger smaller populations to become extinct by overexploitation. On the other hand migrations and mixing of herring of different origin especially during the summer feeding period result in extreme difficulties of the discrimination of small units. For this reason only three herring assess ment units have been identified for the central and the northern Baltic Sea: herring in Sub-divisions 25–32+32, herring in Sub-division 30 and herring in Sub-division31. The spring spawning herring of the western Baltic Sea has been combined with spring spawning herring in Division IIIa. Only the herring stock in Sub-division 30 shows a positive development in the past. The largest assessment unit in Sub-divisions 25–29+32 decreased continuously during the whole period 1974–1998. The western Baltic Spring spawning herring stock decreased from 1990 to 1996. There is an ongoing debate on scientific level whether the combination of small populations into large assessment units like the one in S-D’s 25–29&32 might include the danger of the extinction of small compartments of the unit. On the other hand the practice by the International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission of managing the Baltic Sea herring fisheries by dividing a yearly Total Allowable Catch for the whole area among fishery zones without taking care of any biological structure and any individual stock development is totally against the idea of sustainability of fisheries.

Fischbestände der Ostsee, ihre Entwicklung in den Jahren seit 1970 und Schlussfolgerungen für ihre fischereiliche Nutzung. Teil 1: Dorsch

On the basis of the ”Gdansk Convention on Preservation of Living Resources of the Baltic Sea” the International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission (IBSFC) has been regulating catches of most important fish species in the area since 1974. This article reviews, in a first step for Baltic Sea cod, the development of stocks and fishery since 1970 in the light of respective catch regulations of IBSFC. TACs have been fixed by IBSFC by species for the whole Baltic Sea and resulting quotas have been split according to national and/or international fishery zones from 1975 up to now. The Baltic Sea cod is on biological background treated in scientific stock assessment as two separate stocks. Both stocks, in the western and eastern Baltic Sea, show clearly different developments over the period since 1970. After a short living peak in stock size of the eastern compartment about 20 years ago this stock has been on a very low level since the late 1980’s. During that period with increasing effort big cod catches have been landed.. The level of fishing effort is more or less the same still with much lower catches nowadays. A detailed description of development of stock sizes and recruitment is given. The conclusion is that with the present regime of regulation on the basis of one TAC for the total Baltic Sea and with high fishing capacity available for cod it will be impossible to meet the aim of good and stable yields.

20th annual meeting of the WEFTA Working Group on Analytical Methods in Fish and Fishery Products and 3rd annual meeting of the WEFTA Working Group on Microbiology. A retrospect on 20 years

After 20 annual meetings it is worth to have a look back and to see how it has started. There has been very little collaboration on research projects between member institutes under the auspices of WEFTA, co-operation in more neutral areas of common interest was developed at an early stage. The area which has proved very fruitful is methodology. It was agreed that probably the best way to make progress was to arrange meetings at each laboratory in turn where experienced, practising scientists could describe in detail how they carried out analyses. In this way, difficulties could be demonstrated or uncovered, and the accuracy, precision, efficiency and cost of the methods used in different laboratories could be compared.

Improved utilization and increased availability of fishery products as an effective control of aggravated animal protein deficiency - induced malnutrition in Nigeria

The estimated potential of Nigerian fish resources is 1,830,994 tonnes(t) whereas the demand based on per capita consumption of 12.0kg and a population of 88.5 million is 1.085 million tonnes. Supply is presently less than 500,000 tons. The gap between demand and supply have to be met through improved utilization and increased availability of fish and fishery products. The role of fish in nutrition is recognized, since it supplies a good balance of protein, vitamins and minerals and a relatively low caloric content. This paper appraises the consumption and utilisation pattern of fish in Nigeria, the spoilage of fish and prevention of losses as a means of increasing the availability of fish for human consumption and consequent control of aggravated animal protein deficiency - induced malnutrition. The paper further highlights the point that without increased landings, increased supply of fish can be achieved through reduction of postharvest loss of what is presently caught. The use of newly designed smoke - drying equipment to achieve such goal is highlighted. The paper also emphasises the need to put into human food chain those non-conventional fishery resources and by-catch of shrimp and demersal trawl fishes by conversion into high value protein products like fish cakes, fish pies and salted dried cakes

TUNPOP: A simulation of the dynamics and structure of the yellowfin tuna stock and surface fishery of the Eastern Pacific Ocean

ENGLISH: Three distinct versions of TUNP0P, an age-structured computer simulation model of the eastern Pacific yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacores, stock and surface tuna fishery, are used to reveal mechanisms which appear to have a significant effect on the fishery dynamics. Real data on this fishery are used to make deductions on the distribution of the fish and to show how that distribution might influence events in the fishery. The most important result of the paper is that the concept of the eastern Pacific yellowfin tuna stock as a homogeneous unit is inadequate to represent the recent history of the fishery. Inferences are made on the size and distribution of the underlying stock as well as its potential yield to the surface fishery as a result of alterations in the level and distribution of the effort. SPANISH: Se han empleado tres versiones diferentes de TUNP0P, un modelo de simulación de la computadora (basado en la estructura de la edad) de la población y la pesca epipelágica del atún aleta amarilla, Tbunnus albacares, del Pacífico oriental, para revelar los mecanismos que parecen tener un efecto importante en la dinámica pesquera. Se emplean los datos verdaderos de esta pesca para hacer deducciones sobre la distribución de los peces y para mostrar cómo puede influir esta distribución en los eventos de pesca. La conclusión más importante de este estudio es que el concepto de que la población del aleta amarilla del Pacífico oriental es una unidad homogénea, es inadecuado para representar la historia reciente de pesca. Se teoriza sobre la talla y distribución de la población subyacente como también sobre su producción potencial en la pesca epipelágica al cambiar el nivel y distribución del esfuerzo.

The traditional fishery of Ibu project area on the northern portion of the Imo River, Nigeria

A survey carried out on the fishery of the northern portion of Imo basin (known as Ibu project area for the purpose of this study) provided some information on the number and type of fishermen cropping this portion of the Imo River, Nigeria. The population was found to be very mobile with many itinerant or seasonal fishermen. The type of gear in use was studied and a high number of traditional dug-out canoes recorded which shows the ability of the people to make their own canoes. The presence of freshwater shrimps crayfish and clupeids at this upper region of the Imo River was observed

A review of the crayfish fishery of Nigeria with special reference to the Cross River State

The fishery for crayfish is of considerable importance in the maritime region of the Cross River State, Nigeria, where it forms an important occupation of a host of fishermen. Crayfish landings from this State contributed 11% to the national marine fish landings within the period 1980 to 1984 and also in the same period the volume of crayfish alone formed 26% of the marine fish landings within the State. The species exploited as crayfish include Palaemon hastatus; Hippolysmata hastatoides, and Macrobrachium sp; mixed with the larval, and juveniles of pink shrimp Panaeus dourarum. They are generally small in size ranging from 7 cm (maximum) to 2.5 cm. Crayfish are caught all year round along the Niger Delta, but particularly along the river estuaries and littoral waters of the Cross River State with the highest production occurring in March to May. Crayfish are usually smoked, and occasionally sun-dried, and they form an indispensable food item in the diet of the people of the entire southern States in particular and Nigeria in general. It appears that crayfish landings could be substantially increased without depleting the stock, if a proper exploratory survey is undertaken of the Niger delta, and the Cross River estuaries to chart potentially rich grounds of this resource

Observations on the purse-seine fishery for Northern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

ENGLISH: This report presents information on the fishery for bluefin in the northeastern Pacific Ocean derived from purse seiner logbook records and landing statistics. Information on the size composition of the fish in the catch is also presented. The logbook records cover the period 19611980; however, catch statistics and length-frequency data from previous years are also presented. SPANISH: Este informe presenta los datos sobre la pesca del T. thynnus en el Océano Pacífico nordeste, obtenidos de los cuadernos de bitácora de los barcos cerqueros y de las estadísticas de desembarque. Se presenta además la información sobre la composición de talla de los peces en la captura. Los registros de bitácora abarcan el período de 1961 a 1980; no obstante, se presentan además las estadísticas de captura y los datos de la frecuencia de talla de años anteriores. (PDF contains 105 pages.)

The significance of fish handling, preservation and processing in the development of Nigeria inland fishery with special reference to Kainji Lake

The traditional approach to fish handling, preservation and processing technology in inland fishery is critically examined using the experience in Kainji Lake as a model. The need to uplift the fishermen technology is emphasized with the ultimate expectations of improvement in fish quality

Preliminary economic evaluation of 10 metre (LOA) shallow draft vessel in daily fishery, off Imo River, Cross River State

Scientists from the Institute with the collaboration of Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Rome designed and built a 10-m (LOA) shallow draft vessel. The prototype vessel was tried at Uta-Ewa, Ikot Abasi, Cross River State. The paper deals with the preliminary economic analysis of the performance of prototype vessel. An analysis of the annual return has shown that 43.66% of the annual gross income was paid to labour; 15.91% was spent on repairs and replacements; 7.76% on fuel and lubricants; 24.38% on maintenance costs and the return of investment, 6.2%. This low return of investment is attributable to high percentage of labour costs as well as low fishing intensity

A review of the Japanese longline fishery for tunas and billfishes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, 1971-1980

ENGLISH: This report reviews the Japanese longline fishery for tunas and billfishes in the eastern Pacific Ocean during 1971-1980, extending the studies made by other investigators, which covered the 1956-1970 period. The spatial and temporal distributions of fishing effort, catch, apparent abundance, sexual maturity, and size composition are examined for each species. The deep longlining method is described and the hook rates for this gear and for conventional longline gear are compared. Some observations on the interaction of surface and longline gear are reported. SPANISH: Se examina en este informe la pesca palangrera japonesa de atunes y peces espada en el Océano Pacífico oriental durante 1971-1980, ampliando los estudios hechos por otros investigadores que incluían el período de 1956-1970. Para cada especie se examinan las distribuciones temporales y espaciales del esfuerzo de pesca, captura, abundancia aparente, madurez sexual y composición de talla. Se describe el método de los palangres profundos y se comparan los índices de captura por anzuelo de este arte y del arte convencional palangrero. Se presentan algunas observaciones sobre la interacción de las artes espipelágicas y las palangreras. (PDF contains 163 pages.)

A review of the Japanese longline fishery for tunas and billfishes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, 1981-1987

ENGLISH: This report reviews the activity of the Japanese longline fishery in the eastern Pacific Ocean during the 1981-1987 period, extending the studies for the 1956-1980 period made by other investigators. The spatial and temporal distributions of fishing effort, catch, apparent abundance, sexual maturity, and size composition are examined for the principal species of tunas and billfishes taken by that fishery. The interaction between the surface and longline fisheries is discussed. SPANISH: En este informe se presenta un repaso de la actividad pesquera de barcos palangreros japoneses en el Océano Pacifico oriental durante el periodo de 1981-1987, extendiendo los estudios del periodo de 1956-1980 realizados por otros investigadores. Se examinan las distribuciones especial y temporal de les fuerzo de pesca, la captura, la abundancia aparente, la madurez sexual, y la composición por talla de las principales especies de atunes y picudos capturadas por dicha pesquería. Se comenta la nteracción entre las pesquerías de superficie y palangrera. (PDF contains 171 pages.)