Assessment of Post-Harvest Losses of Nile Perch (Lates Niloticus) Incurred by Fishermen from Lake Victorla, Kenya

Abstract

Post-harvest losses in small-scale fisheries can be among the highest for all the commodities in the entire food production system. One of the challenges facing the three East African states of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania is fish post harvest losses which if reversed would increase the benefits to all the stakeholders of the Lake Victoria fisheries resources. However, the data on the actual post harvest losses is not available. The study was conducted to quantify the level of Lake Victoria Nile Perch (Lates niloticusi post-harvest losses due to spoilage incurred by fishermen in Kenya from the fishing grounds to the landing site level. The comparison of the Nile perch postharvest losses due to spoilage between gillnet and longline fishing was also carried out. The preferred boat propulsion methods and fishing nets by Nile perch fishermen was also studied. Fish handling practices by fishermen as they transport fish form the fishing grounds to the landing sites was also covered in the study. Data on Nile perch fish landed by fishermen was collected using the Questionnaire Loss Assessment Method(QLAM) at eight purposively sampled landing sites along Lake Victoria, Kenya for 15(fifteen) days. The fish landed by fishermen was graded in terms of freshness into grade l(best quality), grade 2 and grade 3{reject) and then the weight and selling price of each grade captured. The length of time of the fishing expedition by the fishermen (fishing cycle) was also recorded. Data was analysed using, SPPS (Version 16) and Minitab Version 16 computer software packages. Analyses by Microsoft excel 2007 showed that Nile perch fishermen mainly use sails to propel their boats and prefer gillnets more than longlines. Pearson's Co-relation test showed the level of post-harvest losses was dependent on the length of the fishing cycle. Comparing the losses between longline and gillnet fishermen in a fishing cycle, a two-sample t-test showed there was no significant difference. However, overall, gillnet fishermen incurred higher losses (71%) as compared to longline fishermen (27.1%) of the total post-harvest losses. Using the value of the total postharvest losses as a percentage of the expected value of all the fish landed, fishermen were found to experience 31% losses. From the total losses (31%), quality losses constituted 12.1% while physical losses constituted 18.9%. Majority of the fishermen covered their fish in the boat during transportation from the fishing grounds to the landing sites and did not step on the fish . . However, only a few fishermen (5%) iced their fish in the boats. It is thus recommended that fishermen strive to reduce the length of the fishing cycle so as to reduce the level of post-harvest losses. They should also use ice onboard and be trained on proper fish handling practices to reduce post-harvest losses.