Survey of Hausa Traditional Fish Fence Usage in Zamfara, North-West Nigeria

Abstract

Artisanal fishing is a traditional occupation that exists among the Hausa people of Zamfara state, North-West Nigeria. This is made possible due to the presence of water resources which vary both in form and size. The region is blessed with six (6) rivers that traverse through it. These rivers are tributaries that emptied their volume of water into river Niger. These rivers become filled up with water during the rainy season and sometimes overflow their banks so much so that the floodplain areas of the state become over flooded, including the lakes that are found around Shikafi, Bakura and Gummi areas. The notable lakes in Zamfara include the Tafkin Jenna in Zurmi, the Nato in Bakura, the Saru Lake in Gummi and the Kalale Lake in Ɗangulbi of Maru Local Government. These lakes aside, the state is blessed with other smaller lakes and manmade water reservoirs, notable of which is the Bakalori dam of Maradun. The availability of these fishing grounds made it possible for a section of the population to engage in artisanal fishing as a means of sustenance for their livelihoods. The Zamfara fishermen make use of numerous techniques to enhance their catch. This paper is an attempt to explore the techniques of fishing fences, especially their type, construction and efficacy in enhancing catch. Through surveys and trips to selected fishing grounds, the paper concludes that traditional fishing fences form part of greater ways by which the fishermen enhance catch, especially during the dry season when the lakes’ water level has drastically reduced in volume due to the elapse of rain coupled with the effects of dry winds of the Winter (Harmattan) season which sets in around November through to February of each year.