Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research Annual Report, 1997.

Few publications on the Fisheries of Nigeria focus on the non-penaeid decapod stocks, and in general, reports discussing artisanal coastal and estuarine shrimp landings have been based largely on ad-hoc observations. Presumably as a consequence, only the big penaeid Penaeus notialis and Parapenaeopsis atlantica are identified, and that, only occasionally. More often than not, artisanal crustacean catches are usually lumped together as if they consist of a single taxon and treated under such group name as Caridae. The exception is that of Scott (1966) who estimated 1125 tons as the annual landings of filter traps fishing in the Bonny River to Forcados area, about 40kg per man per day. Tracing the abundance of white shrimp Nematopalaemon hastatus, Marioghae (1980) recorded catch per trip for filter traps ‘Iseke’ and Stow nets ‘Nkoto’ as 1.25 and 6.67 kg respectively. Enin et al (1989) examined shrimp seasonality in the stow net Nkoto trap fishery in Cross River Estuary. But seasonal abundance patterns observed have not also been entirely straightforward and consistent. Lefevere (1970) and Sagua (1980) all recorded abundant catches during the rainy season, while Marioghae 1980 and Enin et al (1989) narrow peak catch rates to the early and late rains, and poor harvest in between. And while Marioghae (1980) reported a fishery predicated on neap tides in the estuary spring tide, catches were superior on the continental shelf according to Enin et al (1989). These seeming inconsistencies justify current re-assessment of shrimp landing patterns and potentials vis-à-vis the ecological circumstances on the Nigerian coast. Situated between latitudes 7o 32’ and 7o 34’, the Imo River mouth has good shrimp fisheries both in the estuary and the near shore zone, and some field stations facilities. Flanked on both shores is the accidentally introduced Indo-West Pacific palms Nypa fructicans which has completed the indigenous flora. Several fishing settlements on both the eastern and the western border flanks are devoted to shrimping which are dominated by Andoni and the Ibibio fishermen. T. O. Ajayi Director

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