Author(s): V Codjo and SM Agboton

Abstract: This study was conducted in four villages of the municipalities of Lokossa and Houéyogbé and aimed at understanding the fishing activities in the South of Lake Toho. Data were collected from 129 fishing households and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that fishing gears used on Lake Toho include nets, creels, landing nets, and the basket ‘’Gôdô’’, but are not appropriate as they harvest Small-Size fish. Fish are preserved using various local techniques, including preservation in containers, smoking, salting, and frying. Harvested fish are sold through two major channels. In the first that encompasses only two links, both local and foreign consumers come directly to buy fish at the lakeshore. At this point, fish are sold in heaps or individually. In the second marketing channel, there are intermediaries who are retailers. Fishing by hand, the use of landing nets, nets, creels with tight mesh, and chemical fertilizers used in crop production at the lakeshore were the major fishing problems identified on Lake Toho. The development of income-generating activities other than fishing, including agriculture, livestock farming, trade, etc., the use of regulated nets (medium-mesh or large-mesh nets), and the development of fish farming or aquaculture are the most developed strategies to cope with fishing Problems on the lake.

Pages: 239-245  |  772 Views  108 Downloads

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