Analysis of Factors Affecting Artisanal Fisheries along Selected Water Bodies of Cross River, Cross River State, Nigeria

The study on the analysis of factors affecting artisanal fisheries along the selected water bodies of Cross River at Ahaha, Inangha and Okpon in Obubra, Cross River State, Nigeria examined the effects of socio-economic characteristics of the artisanal fish farmers, fishing gears and crafts on fish harvested in the study area. The study specifically determined the variables of socio-economic characteristics of age, gender, marital status, household size, household income and fishing experience as well as fishing materials such as net, hooks, number of canoes, baits, and age of fishing gears as they affect output of fish-catch in the study area by the artisanal fishers. The study also investigated some constraints that affect artisanal fishers in fishing activities in the study area and suggested appropriate recommendations based on the research findings. The socio-economic characteristics of the artisanal fishers showed that 81% of the artisanal fishermen were male, while 19% were female, the average age of the fishermen was 30 years, average household size was 5 persons and the average fishing experience was 8 years. The results of the regression analysis on the effects on fish catch showed that gender was significant at (P>0.05) level, household income, level of education and fishing experience were all significant at (P>0.01) level. Cost of fishing net and age of fishing gears were significant at (P>0.05) level, while cost of baits, number of canoes and number of times in fishing had negative coefficients with the quantity of fish catch in the area. The Likert scale rating, revealed that drying up of rivers during dry season (3.32), difficulties to access fishing points along the rivers (3.21), excessive rainfalls during raining season (3.06), high costs of canoes for fishing (3.00), lack of extension services to educate artisanal fishermen (2.94), high cost of fishing nets (2.80), non-availability of baits (2.70), non-availability of good hooks for fishing (2.67) and inadequate processing facilities (2.64) were all reported to constitute constraints in fishing activities in the area while lack of market for the fish caught (2.05) was not a problem. The study recommends that artisanal fishermen should be regularly trained in modern fishing techniques while the costs of fishing gears and crafts be subsidized by the government to the artisanal fishermen in the study area.