CRAFT USAGE AND POLICY COMPLIANCE IN TWO FISH LANDING SITES ALONG BONNY RIVER, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Craft usage for fishing purposes is guided by the Inland Fisheries Act Of 1992 in Nigeria. The Inland Fisheries
Act made provision for users of motorised craft to be licenced in section 1, apply for licence in section 2 and
exhibition of registration number in section 4. This study investigated craft usage and compliance of its provision
of The Act at two fish landing sites (Isaka-Bundu and Rex-Lawson, Borikiri) along Bonny River, Port Harcourt,
Rivers State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the fishers. The results
showed that 62.5% of fishers at Isaka-Bundu and 50.65 % at Rex-Lawson, Borikiri possessed none-motorized
crafts while, 9.72% of fishers at Isaka-Bundu and 3.90% at Rex-Lawson, Borikiri possessed motorized craft
without licence. There were zero (0 %) compliance to the provisions of the Act for craft usage at both landing
sites. In conclusion, there was no compliance with the provisions of the Act for craft usage in the study area, hence
the need for intervention through an awareness programme for fishers, review of the Act to include licencing of
none-motorised craft and ensure enforcement of the Inland Fisheries Act Of 1992.