FISH DISEASES SYMPTOMS AS OBSERVED BY FISH FARMERS IN OGBIA AND YENAGOA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

Adeyemo, A.O

Department of Fisheries Technology

Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

E.mail: text2abiodun@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Many fish diseases do not attract attention of many people dealing with fish, because in nature sick animals are quickly removed from the population by predation. Fish disease data are almost not available in most developing countries like Nigeria. It is therefore pertinent to start somewhere, since disease conditions in fish are of public health importance. A survey of this perception was carried out among fish farmers in Ogbia and Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, Nigeria. Questionnaires and individual interview were employed to gather the information. The statistical analysis was   based on the sixty- six respondents acknowledged during the survey.  Simple means and percentages were used to describe the responses. It was found that 89.39% of the respondents were aware of signs and disease symptoms in fish but 57.63 % did not consider the occurrence as serious problem to production while 42.37% felt fish diseases are impediment to production. The disease symptoms as observed among the respondents in percentages were: Grey colourings on the body of  fish(9.71%), Short body( 4.85%), Weak swimming (8.74%), Blindness (2.91%), Fin Lesions (16.50%), Big head (14.56%), Hole in the Body (4.85%), Blood spots/Haemorrhages on the body (18.44%), Swollen stomach(8.74%)and Stunted growth (4.85%).  The Majority of the respondents (85%) are subsistence fish farmers while 15% were commercial fish farmers. The range of the years of experience was between 3-50years of working in the Freshwater environment. There is need to establish a data base for fish diseases, assess  risk, provide information and training to public on how to deal with disease situations

Key words: Fish disease, Fish Farmers, Public health, Awareness