The Major Significance of Non-forest Timber Products (NTFPs) on Fishing Activities in Ogun State: A Need for Environmental Resources Conservation

Abstract

"An ethno botanical survey of some NTFPs crucial to fish production in some rural areas of Ogun state was carried out. This becomes necessary as a result of the present assault on the natural forest which is a repository of these materials. Data were collected through the administration of pretested and structured questionnaires made up of open and close ended questions. They were administered on 500 artisanal fishermen purposively selected among a list of registered artisanal fishermen in Ogun state. "The result showed that 13 species in 8 families were being exploited for different purposes in fish production including obnoxious use which should be discouraged. For instance in canoe building species such as (Orindudu- Anogssius leocarpus, Orno Cola giganlicea and Iroko- Milicia excelia) were recorded used by the respondents some fishes exploited include Mudfish (Abori)- Clarias sp, Heterobranchus sp, Tilapia (Epiya)- Tilapia sp, and Osan- Gyinnarchus niloticus. Prominent among the species life forms were climber (7.69%), herbs (30.77%) and trees (61.54%). The environmental implication is that should these species become extinct the resources base of the dependent fishermen could be jeopardized Recommendation were made on some of the strategies to be used to abate the onslaught on the natural forest resources."