THE MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF INLAND FISHERIES RESOURCES IN NIGERIA: A CONCERNED REVIEW
Nigeria is endowed with extensive inland water bodies that are very rich in fish and shellfish species, many of which are of commercial importance. These diverse fish resources with immense potential plays a contributing role to the food security and improving livelihoods of local fisher folks, but in recent years, there has been serious concern about the poor status of the inland aquatic resources management and conservation. Over-exploitation has been recognized as a major threat to sustainability of these inland fisheries resources in Nigeria and has brought about changes in species composition, decline yield and stock composition, resulting to threatened ecosystem (inland/wetland) with depletion due to ineffectiveness and weak regulations. This review elucidates and analyzes the causes, signs and types of over-exploitation in the inland fisheries resources with regards to inadequate management and conservation practices in Nigeria. It also highlights current management measures, reasons for management failure and some of the procedures that could be adopted for sustainable management of inland fisheries resources via economic sustainable preservation and conservation. For a fishery to recover totally, is to observe a: closed fishing season, restocking and habitat stewardship.
Keywords: Closed Fishing Season, Overfishing, Illegal Fishing, Inland Fisheries Resources, Aquatic Biodiversity
