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May 11, 2025Keywords:
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Frame Survey, Catch Composition and Socio-Economic Characteristics of Artisanal Fisherfolk around Lake Alau, Maiduguri, Nigeria
Abstract
Lake Alau is an important water body for artisanal fisheries where hundreds of fishermen earn their livelihood, but recently its fisheries are faced with dwindling fortune and imminent over-fishing. This study therefore surveys the socioeconomic characteristics and catch composition of artisanal fisherfolk in Lake Alau, Maiduguri metropolis, Borno State. Two hundred structured questionnaires and personal communication were used for the survey in ten fishing communities purposively selected in the study area. However, 180 questionnaires were retrieved and used for the study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage distributions). The results show that a large number of fisher folks are males (75.0%) and full adults within the economically active range (79.99%). Most of the fisher folks are married (83.33%) and highly experienced in fishing activities (56.0%) with full-time commitment (68.89%). The study revealed Brycinus nurse (91.67%), Protopterus annecens (84.44%), Clarias species (82.22%), Tilapia species (83.33%), and Alestes dentex (82.78%) as major fish species caught by fishermen in Lake Alau. The common fishing gears used by most of the fishermen include gillnet (94.44%), Malian trap (87.78%), cast net (82.22%), and clap net (80.56%). The high cost of netting materials (76.11%), lack of a good road network (48.33%), fish spoilage (47.78%), and no access to credit facilities (47.22%) are the serious problems faced by the fishers in the study area. Government intervention by providing subsidized netting materials and good road networks is recommended for the development of artisanal fishing in the area.
