The Challenges of Sustainable Fish Farming Culture in North-East of Nigeria

Challenges of Sustainable Fish Farming Culture in Borno State, North-East Zone of Nigeria

There has been conflict associated with cultural fish farmers in Mile 3 cultural fishing community over fishing zone, fishing space and on sea theft or theft in the fishing process and the problem of traditional method of land administration. Sabotage among cultural fish farmers with the application of charms to drives away fish in a particular fishing space or zone of a fish farmer that seems to misbehave or disrespect or by the way of disobeying the cultural doctrine of the community was another source of conflict that brought about subdivision and disunity among cultural fish farmers in Mile 3 fishing community.

This result is in line with the findings of Andrews Evans J, et al. [18] the collapse of a fish stock that has long been the mainstay of a small-scale fishing community’s subsistence may have had great symbolic importance in the community traditions, methodology, religion and cultural identity, with its collapse leaving the components severely impoverished and not capable of being quickly revitalized. Other far reaching repercussions, includes affecting community members self- esteem, patterns of household composition, modes of kinship reckoning, beliefs regarding appropriate gender roles and preferences regarding other social relations.

The traditional fisheries management system which is a metaphor of cultural fisheries management system is more culturally inclined but with the emergence of other regulatory authorities after due resistance of the traditional fisheries management system it was over powered by the other interfered regulatory bodies although in the Nigerian context of governance, the government agencies from the state and the federal government are more powerful constitutional than the cultural system of fisheries management, the traditional authorities are also subsumed of the local, state and the federal government respectively.

This result shows consistency with the findings of Oluwatuyi SO, et al. [8] generally, the management systems of law in Africa is rickety and this can be seen in the way systems are being managed; there are no sustainable water laws or the metrics to detect are too challenging to quantify, leaving many people as violators of law, people still cut down trees and leaves the area bare, they still hunt for fish without any need for a license, and those monitoring most water deliveries and taxes just do it with no accountability, which makes them look no accountability, which makes them look somewhat like a threat to the citizens.

With the application of both the traditional management system and that of the other governmental agencies the traditional management system was weakened by the unfair treatment of the cultural fish farmers by the constituted regulatory bodies that extorts money from the cultural fish farmers in form of revenue consequently led to a failure in the laid down principles of fisheries resource management of the cultural and traditional management system of the Mile 3 cultural fishing community which was absolutely not in the interest of the cultural fish farmers. Gradually, with the weakening of the cultural and traditional management system gave room to the cultural fish farmers violation of cultural and traditional edicts of community fisheries resource management as the traditional managers too resorted for acceptance of returns from harvest both in cash and kind. The management system was not left in the hand of the cultural fish farmers neither to the traditional rulers nor the governmental authorities manage the system accordingly as required with fairness, justice and equity for sustainable fisheries in the Mile 3 cultural fishing community these enabled the wealthy individuals of the community to overcome the less privileged farmers in the machinery of production.

This result shows consistency with the findings of Nwamaka OO, et al. [7] the most important bottom-up transformation proposal is the reform of the management structure of the Lake Chad by replacing the Lake Chad Commission with the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Baga, Borno State of Nigeria. Fishers expressed a strong preference for a completely new system of fisheries governance headed by the Federal College.

The overexploitation and environmental degradation method of operations of the cultural fish farming of Mile 3 fishing community has been another major problem of sustaining the culture of fishing in the community as a result of the violation of the regulatory management framework of both the cultural community, the traditional management system as well as the modern system of governance under the authority of the local, state, federal and other agencies of the government. The application of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides on the adjoining farmlands had degradable effect on the environment and on fish species coupled with the subsistence and small-scale nature of operation as evident by the used of crude implements. Lack of adequate capital to expand operational base and lack of farmers zeal to seek for capital for expansion to overcome the problem of inaccessibility to external funding and other intervention schemes proved to be the problem of cultural adaptation among others also limits the cultural fish farmers of the community for advancement generally.

This result confirmed that of Aderounmu AA [19] even though traditional system of fisheries contributes immensely towards increased domestic fish production, its annual growth rate is said to be at average of 3%. The current record of overall fish landings from small-scale fisheries is almost, if not in excess of presently estimated potential resources for the fisheries. This poses a major problem because fishing efforts should be based on optimum sustainable yield to ensure rational exploitation and good fisheries management.

The Mile 3 community cultural fish farmers hardly coped with the modern system of operation in term of land legislations, environmental regulation and other regulatory policies of the government such as the local, state and federal government edicts on the operational system of the fisheries. Thus, the farmers were faced with the implication of operation out of the regulatory framework formulated such as fishing without permit and or certificate of occupancy and at the individual farmer or community level, the fishers embarked on fishing without environmental impact assessment (EIA).

This result confirmed that of Oluwatuyi SO, et al. [8] generally, the management systems of law in Africa is rickety and this can be seen in the way systems are being managed; there are no sustainable water laws or the metrics to detect are too challenging to quantify, leaving many people as violators of law, people still cut down trees and leaves the area bare, they still hunt for fish without any need for a license, and those monitoring most water deliveries and taxes just do it with no accountability, which makes them look no accountability, which makes them look somewhat like a threat to the citizens.

Contravening control measures of the regulatory authorities as a result of lake recessed regime by the members of the community was a devastative effect of cultural farming method of Mile 3 fishing community on the environment. “Taru” is a popularly known method of cultural fishing considered advantageous to the fish farmers as it permits large volume big fish catch in an easily manner, but the method was confirmed not sustainably friendly as it makes some fish species to disappear in the long run.

This result shows consistency with the findings of Bryam K, et al. [10] most rural communities are more intentional about practicing agriculture that puts a portions of food on their table or garners them a substantial profit than engaging in sustainable practices for the soil and the ecosystem, and this is the case in the Lake Chad region.

The cultural fish farmers of Mile 3 fishing community practice common property regime under this system there has been the problem of cultural believed of ownership; that pools in a locality belongs to all members of the community even if there was an individual ownership there must be equity in the system of operation and any attempt by the traditional rulers (Bulama) Ward head to empower an individual fish farmer in the community or groups of members of the community over the pool resulted to a conflict. Under common property regime the powers of the traditional rulers over harvest return from individual fish farmers in the community was less and the persiodic payment in form of revenue and operation license was not inexistence as a result of the cultural believes of the fishing community over common property right. With the emergence of traditional management system partly with or without modern management system problems experienced by the members of the community under this system has been the revoking of agreement among members of the community over a contracted or hired fishing zone and or fishing space as a result of expectation of bopper harvest in most cases ended up in conflict.

This result confirmed that of Sarch MT [9] conflicts in the region has resulted in widespread poverty, child malnutrition and lack of means of survival for those who have lost their farms while facing the problem and battle created the conflicts. Forest encroachment is also considered a norm in this region, with people breaking the forest regulations.

High illiteracy level of the members of Mile 3 cultural fishing community the fish farmers could not understand simple explanation by fisheries personnel regarding modern fisheries management system and as result of the cultural orientation, the fish farmers were not attentive of any attempt from fisheries personnel to incorporate the community in to modern fisheries developmental programs. The fish farmers lacked modern technical know how on fisheries management only 3 members of the community that have undergone modern fisheries management training. The community members lacked initiation for setting up standard cooperative society that would broaden their developmental chances accord the community equity in all their dealings.

This result shows consistency with the findings of Zanna B, et al. [20] Boko Haram insurgency has been a major challenge to the development of education in Baga, Mile 3 Fishing Community of the Lake Chad Basin Area Borno State of Nigeria. It has been evidently shown that without bringing an end to the menace of Boko Haram Insurgency the development of education cannot be achieved in the study area.

The community experienced inadequate water supply, medical facilities, electricity supply, good road network, marketing facilities, storage and preservation facilities, inadequate security personnel and educational facilities. In addition to the problem of cultural adaptation, government commitment in inculcating the idea of modern fisheries management system to the members of the community constituted another major constraint.

This result shows inconsistency with the finding of EUTF [21] Fish production initiative was launched in Borno state on April 2019, under a comprehensive response programme to restore agriculture-based livelihoods in the state, designed to build technical capacity of fish actors on safe and sustainable aquaculture. The initiative has boosted fish availability in the state especially around the benefitting communities such as Zabarmari, Gongulong, Dusman, Alau and Gamboru in Jere, Konduga and Maiduguri Metro-Politian Council local government areas of the state. This have improved food security and malnutrition considered major challenges, especially for millions of women and children affected by insurgency in the state and have promoted sustainable water management for income generation in the state.

There has been the constraint of gender inequality in Mile 3 cultural fishing community as prevails in the cultural tradition and religious belief of the community which states that hard work in an open place is main for the males and more so females are restricted to interact with male unless under the provision of the religion and other cultural traditions as practice in the community or otherwise under inevitable condition as ordained by the community edict. Therefore, female in Mile 3 cultural fishing community engages in fishing activities such as buying and selling of fish, fish processing and other contributory fisheries activities whereas the male engages in all fishery’s productive activities.

This result shows consistency with the findings Fakoya K, et al. [22] about 8 million people are employed by the Small – scale Fisheries in Nigeria for livelihood and income generation, provides social and cultural value and women plays dominance role in the post-harvest sector thus Nigerian Small-scale Fisheries industry is a safety net from poverty, although it contributes to deforestation and the impact fall disproportionally on women. Improvement in governance and stewardship of Small-scale Fisheries, access to services, credit and social protection are important to deepen the contributions of Nigeria’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The problem of continues increased in the number of cultural fish farmers of Mile 3 community without corresponding genuine supportive ideas and facilities culturally and otherwise. Coupled with the shrinkage of the Lake Chad which serves as an indicator that the total number of fishes in the Lake Chad has been on decline resulted in degradation of the aquatic environment and problems of agricultural pest cumulatively, resulted in low fishing yields and crops. There was no any initiative by the government of Nigeria to support the community for the sustainability of the community fish farming culture neither at the cultural community level. Although, the members of cultural community were as well not conversant or unaware of the environmental degradation not to talk of the long run implications as a result of the cultural adaptation to their ancestral cultural system of fish production with the believed that the higher the population the higher will be the quantity of fish that will be produced without taking in to cognizance the law of diminishing marginal return and the long run effect of the irrational pressures on the land resources.

This result shows inconsistency with the findings of Nwamaka OO, et al. [7] the surface water receding in its strength and capacity pushed more fishermen and fisherwomen in to other occupations and various regional crisis compounded the problem as more people embraced aquaculture as a form of sustenance.

There has been no meaningful development in the cultural system of fish farming of Mile 3 fishing community as a result of lack of enlightenment campaign by the government towards sensitizing the rural cultural fish farmers to accept change by embracing modern method of fisheries management system by inculcating the principles of sustainable development with reference to culture and sustainable development in fisheries of the rural folks.

This result confirmed that of Opeyemi O [23] in the last decade 90th the fish industry provided direct and indirect employment for residents in Borno state; fishers, fish processors, marketers, retailers, and many other actors earned their living from fish production and its value chains. Income from the industry contributed significantly to the market performance of other goods and services like food items, household needs, school fees etc. The adverse effects of the conflict in present Borno has further affected the fish industry consequently substantial loss of rural livelihoods. Fishing activities in the state were disrupted. Supply of fish gradually became irregular that at some point fish sellers rarely had fish to sell.

The age long culturally inherited method of Mile 3 community fish farming has been disarrayed by gradual penetration of traditional fisheries management system and the incorporation of modern fisheries management system which have not yet yielded positive result rather than the collapsed of the cultural machineries already in place. The situation should have been worsened if not because of the cultural adaptation of the community. The needed transformation of the cultural fish farming system for sustainable fisheries development have not yet achieved rather than perforation of the system.

This result shows inconsistency with the finding Sodagar B [24] to achieve true sustainability the need to balance economic, social and environmental sustainability factors in equal harmony, then the community is said to have achieved true sustainability and a true circular economy. Therefore, fish farming culture of Mile 3 fishing community may achieve true sustainability only if it operates in a true circular economy; the economic, social, and environmental pillars of sustainability of the fish farming culture of the community has equate each other.

Some Cultural Inland Fishing Implements (Gears) (Figure 1)

Click to enlarge