Socio-economic analysis of small-scale fisheries in some fishing communities in Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria

Lack of sufficient and sincere information on current socio-economic conditions of fishing communities is one of the serious impediments in proper planning and development of various fisheries management programs. The socio-economic analyses of small-scale fisheries in some fishing communities in Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State were examined. Multi-stage random sampling technique was employed in the primary data collection with the use of a structured questionnaire. Initially, six (6) inland lakes/fishing camps: Oguta, Okutu, Ibina, Inyima, Nnemiri and Amaja were selected out of the fishing settlements. The second stage involved the random selection of 70 respondents from the six fishing settlements. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that fishing in the study area was male dominated (100%), and also the major occupation of the majority (74.29) of the respondents. The highest academic qualification of the respondents was Senior Secondary Certificate accounting for 57.14% of the respondents. Majority of the respondents (74.29%) were Christians, (75.71%) were married with household size ranging from 6 – 10, accounting for 50% of the respondents. The average monthly income by majority (48.57%) was between N20,000 – N30,000. The reports also revealed that, 95.71 and 84.29% of the respondents owned their gears and crafts respectively. Feeding (81.41%) and school fees (68.57%), characterized the major household expenditure. About 78.57% had no savings, thereby depended on friends and relatives for source of finance. Firewood (82.83%) and locally fabricated battery lantern (48.57%) constituted the major cooking fuel and source of electricity respectively. Iliteracy, poverty and poor governance were perceived to be the major factors militating the development of artisanal fisheries in the study area.