Authors : C.T. Kester , S.A. Osofero and J.A. Daramola
Abstract: This survey studied the catch composition of the reservoir, the socio-economic impact of the fishing activities on the locality. The catch composition of the reservoir showed three different species, Oreochromis niloticus, Sarotherodon galilaeus and clarias species with O. niloticus having the highest occurrence by number and weight of 83.6 and 69.2%, respectively. The potential fish yield of the reservoir with a total surface area of 450ha was predicted to be 652.97 metric tones per annum, while the post calculated annual yield give a figure of 21.06 metric tones per annum. The assessment of socio-economic impact of the fishing activities of the reservoir on the fishing locality and the state at large revealed a number of operational constraint that contributed to the under-exploitation of the reservoir and fishing profession as unprofitable in the community. These constraints in conjuction with the seasonality of the catch of the more valuable Clarias sp. constituted to the factors responsible for the mass-drift of 55% of the fishermen population to other fishing villages in or outside the state and urban centers for more lucrative business. Suggestions were made towards the adoption of certain strategies of improving the income generated by the fishermen at every fishing effort to a sustainable level.
C.T. Kester , S.A. Osofero and J.A. Daramola , 2007. Fisheries Potential Assessment of Ero Reservoir, Ekiti State, Nigeria . Agricultural Journal, 2: 721-725.