Role of Women in Artisanal Fishery: Implication for Food Security in Rivers State, Nigeria

Aims: The aims of the study were to describe socio-economic characteristics of respondents, determine their roles in artisanal fishery, identify their marine food resource outputs, analyze contributions of artisanal fishery to food security and determine constraints of women artisanal fishers in fish production.
Study Design: A survey method involving the random sampling technique was used in selecting respondents for the study.
Place and Duration of the Study: The study was carried out in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria and it was conducted from 1st of March, to 31st of August, 2012.
Methodology: The sample size of the study was made up of 116 women artisanal fishers which constituted the respondents of the study. Data were elicited from women fisher-folks with a structured interview schedule which were randomly administered by trained enumerators. Percentage, mean and multiple regressions were used for analyses of data.
Results: Result shows that the mean age of the respondents was 38.4 years, while the mean years spent in schooling was poor (6.5 years). Contact with extension agents per month was poor (0.2 times). Further, results indicate that, actual fishing for marine food resources (93.1%) and sales of fishing gears (87.9%) were the major roles performed by the respondents. Their mean performed rate index of 31.5% was poor. Results of multiple regression shows significant relationship between the roles performed and socio-economic characteristics of respondents such as age (0.001), educational level (0.089) and monthly contact with extension agents (0.001) at p ∠0.05 level of significance. Periwinkle harvesting was the major (70.7%) marine food output in the study area. Artisanal fish production was the primary (75.7%) source of livelihood of the respondents. Water pollution by crude oil and gas spillage constituted the major (75.9%) constraint to artisanal fishery in the study area.
Conclusion: Poor mean performed role recorded in the study may have been caused by poor contact of respondents with extension agents and water pollution by oil and gas spillage. In order to improve the role performed by artisanal fisher folks, the study recommends enhanced contact of extension agents with respondents and stopping of water pollution by crude oil and gas companies in the study area.