A Review of Aquaculture Production in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects

Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world,with an estimated population about 150 million people.Its citizens as at the end of 2012 have a projected fish demand of 2.66 million tonnes of fish.Fish supply within the said period was 1.32 million tonnes.This figure was made up of 0.7 million tonnes from importation and 0.62 million tonnes from both artisanal and aquaculture.Of the local production aquaculture contributes only 200 000 tonnes.Studies have shown that fish catch from the wild has reached its maximum production limit and production from this area is currently on the decline.Nigeria has about 1.75 hm;of suitable sites for aquaculture development.Aquaculture production for 2012 was a meager 200 000 tonnes.Aquaculture though a veritable means is faced with a lot of constraints ranging from government’s wrong focus on industrial fisheries instead of aquaculture,poor policy formulation and non-implementation fisheries development programmes among others.In spite of these constraints,there were also the following aquaculture investment opportunities such as production of fishing equipment,establishment of modern fish farms,shrimp fishing,fingerling production,table size fish production,brood stock production,fish feed production,ornamental fish farming,production system design and construction,capacity building in project management,packaging and branding.