Cte dIvoire aquaculture systems perception: Characteristics and influence on national fish production

This study was undertaken in the main Cote d’Ivoire fish farming production regions. Fish farming were surveyed on the basis of socio-economic characteristics of fish farmers, farming practices and production depending to the systems. Results show that majority of fish farmers used semi intensive (51.8%) and extensive (42.9%) systems. Intensive system represented only 1.3% and rice-fish system 4.0% of fish farms. Tilapia, Heterotis and Catfish were the most species reared with frequencies depending to the system. In intensive system, rearing structures were tanks and floating cages and farms owner were native (50%) economic operator (75%) or salaried (25%). In contrast, in semi intensive systems, the popular rearing structures were earthen ponds (68.6%), and farms belong to native (61.5%) farmers (46.3%). Extensive and rice fish farming used earthen ponds associated to dams (52.7-66.7%) and 45.7-50% of proprietary were allochthonous famers (77.5-91.7%). Imported (50%) and national commercial feeds (50%) were used in intensive system. In semi intensive system, national commercial feeds (55.13%), agro-industrial byproducts (46.79%) and feeds produced by fish farmers (33.97%) were largely used while agro-industrial byproducts and/or non-conventional feeds were used in extensive and rice-fish system to feed fish. The average farm production of semi intensive and extensive systems most practiced varied between 395.25 and 2937.12 kg/year. The results suggest that optimization of the Ivorian fish farming production need the adoption of appropriate production practices. They also emphasize the need to promote the intensive and semi intensive systems to increasing marketable fish production.   Key words: Fish farming, System, socio-economic, farming practices, production.