INTRODUCTION: The Chinese proverb ‘if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach him to fish, you feed him for a lifetime’ clearly emphasizes the importance of fish production in any area as long as people live. over there. . Fish production in the Zangon Kataf Local Government Area has been based mainly on produce from nature, ie the rivers and streams in the area. The way of life of the people of any area and their eating habits have an impact on the fish production of the area.

Most of the settlers are peasants who, however, have very little interest in fishing since they did not inherit it from their parents as some argue. In fact, fish serves as a cheap source of protein for people, the adoption of aquaculture as a means to increase their production is not common, instead they rely heavily on imported frozen fish. A quick look at the fish outlets in the area, particularly the local markets, attests to this fact. Statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) indicate that the demand for fish in Nigeria has been increasing since 1990 to date. Therefore, there is a need to increase fish production to meet population growth and increased demand for fish. The findings reveal that, being tropical, Nigeria has virtually uninterrupted environmental conditions throughout the year for the uninterrupted growth of fish and other aquatic organisms.

Water temperatures are optimal, annual precipitation is adequate to optimal in more than 95% of the earth’s surface. Water availability is optimal to adequate. Other essential relevant factors in fish production identified are the slope of the land, the texture of the soil and even socio-economic factors such as the availability of inputs and a willing market that are optimal. Zangon Kataf lies within the geographical area known as the north central or middle belt which has all the factors mentioned above. Rain is the main source of water supply for the rivers and streams that flow from one settlement to another. Commonly wild-caught fish species are Clarias, Tilapia, Alestes, Synodontis and occasionally Malapterurus electricus. These are known to be acceptable to consumers. As stated above, FAO statistics show that there is increasing demand for fish every year in Nigeria, central bank statistics show that local production is not adequate.

Therefore, it is very important that complementary fish production be adopted or improved to meet the current challenges. Prospects for fish farming are plentiful in Zangon Kataf LGA There are suitable locations such as local stream beds, flat/soft land or neglected land around rivers and clay soil farmland currently used for crops in the area, other essential factors have been mentioned earlier in this document. Seasonal ponds can be built in stream beds and clay soil farmlands that fill with water during the rainy season, while ponds are made near rivers throughout the year to ensure water supply. Due to the low economic power of most of the natives, the construction of earthen ponds will be a much cheaper practice than the construction of concrete or plastic ponds, as is the case in most small-scale fish farms in the country. .

Fish farming practices are usually the same all over the world, the farmer freely decides or selects which one to adopt based on the surrounding situation. Farmers in the Zangon Kataf local government area can successfully practice monoculture where only one species is grown. The species most preferred by the consumer is Clarias for its meat and flavor. Therefore, the farmer can earn a lot economically when he decides to cultivate this species. With a lot of clarification, farmers can dedicate themselves to polyculture.

With increased demand for food, integrated farming is a step in the right direction. It ensures maximum utilization of the limited resources available, thus reducing waste. It also makes food available throughout the year and at the same time makes the farmer self-sufficient. Vast farms flooded with clayey water can be dug into ponds, especially during the rainy season, to grow fish and rice. [fish cum rice]. Both products can be harvested at the same time, that is, when the rice is harvested. A form of integrated farming that will be viable in the Zangon Kataf area. Farming of fish and pigs. Zangon Kataf LGA falls in the middle belt and pig farming is in fact very common. The pig is a highly prolific animal and its combination with fish increases the economic efficiency, also its ecological efficiency since kitchen waste, residues and leftovers, aquatic plants are often used as food. Their waste can be used as fertilizer and as a food source.

There are issues that have hampered fish production in the Zangon Kataf Local Government Area, both from wild catch and fish farming. The apparent lack of interest from settlers in the area has been a major setback. Most farmers will prefer to engage in crop production rather than fishing. In a situation where your ancestors did not pass down fishing as an occupation or hobby to their children, it is difficult for people to be interested in this sector. That’s not to say they don’t eat fish, but most of the fish supplied is imported, over-reliance on these fish imports has its attendant problems. It makes people more reluctant to engage in any form of fish production, not to mention the loss of nutritional value of imported products.

The catch of fish from the main rivers in the area is dominated by migrant fishermen who come mostly from neighboring towns in Kano State. These fishermen have established settlements near the fishing sites and come mainly during the dry season, that is, the cultivation periods between the months of December to April, they return to their homes when the rains begin to cultivate crops. However, fish production is still low as fishermen are few compared to the size of the river. Most of the fishing gear used is the old – ancient gear they learned to use from their predecessors, these are hook and line, basket shaped fish traps, gourd/gourd and a few use cast nets, occasionally cast They use landlines. The amount and size of fish caught are partly determined by these, resulting in low productivity. Most of the people in the area are rural dwellers who earn a low income mainly from the sale of agricultural products.

The cost of construction, obtaining seeds and food, etc., is quite high for these farmers. The security issue is also a major concern in this area. Most of the farms are not secured with fencing or any other form of security, so poaching is a common occurrence that will be a huge setback for any fish farmer going into fish farming. The problem is further exacerbated for farmers who will not be able to farm close to home, since most farmland is far from their homes. Another challenge for this sector is the lack of awareness which seems to be the decisive factor to start fish farms in the area. Many fish farmers lack basic information on fish farming that might spark their interest in participating. For some, inadequate information passed to them has killed their interest in such matters, information like water for culture needs to be changed daily or every other day, concrete ponds need to be built and the like. The art of keeping fish seemed too demanding then and so some were discouraged.

Fish production at the Zangon Kataf LGA has been low mainly due to the underutilization of the water resources available in the area for this purpose. Water resources are used for other purposes such as irrigation, washing, bathing and the like, with little or no attention paid to fishing. Lack of interest in fishing as an occupation or hobby makes it difficult to produce fish in the wild. They face the problems of meeting their basic needs for food, adequate housing, clothing, minimum nutritional requirements and, of course, health.

The growing demand for food, including fish due to the increase in population, requires the inhabitants to improve the sector. The adoption of low-input extensive fish farming, particularly the integration of fisheries and livestock systems, will greatly help resource-poor farmers. This will provide the protein requirements of the people while increasing their marginal gains for a better standard of living. -Farmers should form groups that can access financial subsidies from the government or other financial institutions.

Such collective efforts can also be embraced by small communities who now use these funds to farm fish or are used to buy or make fishing boats and other fishing gear that can be used by farmers/fishers, even if it will be on loan. Agricultural extension workers and all people involved need to be involved in a broad understanding of the benefits of fishing and fish, both from nature and from fish farming. This will go a long way to arouse people’s interest in the sector. These extension workers will be in a good position to correct suspicions about the fishery in general.