Fish species composition and bait preference in selected artisanal fishing traps in Lagos and Epe lagoons

Abstract

The fish species composition and bait preference in selected three artisanal fishing traps used in Lagos and Epe lagoons were carried out between May 2014 and April 2016. Prior to the field work, investigation on the trap types and bait preference was evaluated by administering eighty questionnaires in each of the four sampling stations in Lagos and Epe lagoons from March, 2013 to February, 2014 using simple random sampling technique. For the field experiment, at each station, thirty fishing traps were set in rows, comprised of ten of each designs. The traps were set without bait for the first eight months (May, 2014 to December, 2014), Maize chaff was used as bait for the next eight months (January, 2015 to August, 2015) and dead small fishes as baits for the last eight months (September, 2015 to April, 2016). Fisherfolks in both Lagoons reported that the use of bait(s) is insignificant to fish abundance. There was also no significant difference (P>0.05) in bait used across all trap types in both Lagoons. Fishing trap performance and catch efficiency were influenced by trap types and Lagoon regardless of the bait used in the trap.