ASSESSMENT OF ARTISANAL FISHERY ACTIVITIES AMONG FISHERFOLK IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Fish is a veritable source of high quality protein, essential vitamins and minerals that are crucial to metabolic activities in human system. Artisanal sector is faced by so many problems such as use of crude fishing gears, inadequate credit facilities and high rate of poverty among fisherfolk. Therefore, the study assessed artisanal fishery activities among fisher folks in Lagos State, Nigeria. A well structured interview schedule was conducted to elicit information from 200 artisanal fisherfolk using multistage sampling techniques. Findings from the study showed most of the artisanal fishermen were youth, male, egun ethnic group and few with formal education. Consequently, the artisanal fisherfolk are highly skilled and experience. Furthermore, majority revealed that friends, family, fishing festivals and colleagues were the major source of accessing information on artisanal fishing. However, the major constraints hindering artisanal fishing activities include inadequate extension contact, low fish catch and inaccessibility to credit facilities. The study recommend that extension arm of the government should deploy extension personnel to train the fisherfolk the use of improved techniques or methods so as to increase the skills of the fisherfolk. This will enhance fish catch by the fisherfolk. In addition, Federal Government should come out with stable policy guideline to enable commercial banks disburse loans to the artisanal fisherfolk at a very low interest rate, in order to help them expand their production capacity.