Abstract

The study was carried out to examine the factors determining fish hatchery operations in the four agricultural extension zones (Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Ikenne and Ilaro) of Ogun state. One hundred and twenty fish hatchery operators were selected out of three hundred and eighty eight registered hatcheries using multi-stage sampling techniques and structured interview guides to elicit information from the fish breeders. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that respondents were mostly male (74.3%) with mean age of 45.2 years, 96.7% were married and 93.4% had tertiary education while 68.4% had household sizes between 4 and 6 persons. Sources of information were mainly through multimedia approach. Poor marketing, poor genetic brood stocks, high inflation rate in the economy, poor infrastructural facilities and lack of finance were the major constraints hindering fish seed production and development. There are positive significant differences (t = 9.460; p< 0.05) between farm income and the constraints. It can be concluded that the constraints had positive effect on breeders’ income. There is a need for the establishment of brood stock banks to ensure genetically improved fish seed availability, provision of infrastructural facilities by the government and improve marketing strategy for fish seed.

Key words: Fish hatchery operations, fish seed, constraints.