National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research (NIFFR), New Bussa,
National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research, New Bussa, was set up in 1968 as “The Kainji Lake Research Project” by the Federal Government of Nigeria with assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was the executing agency while the then Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources represented the Federal Government.
By 1975, FAO experts had formally withdrawn their participation and qualified Nigerians took over the mantle of leadership of what came to be known as Kainji Lake Research Institute.
At the initial stage, the mandate of the Institute was to carryout multidisciplinary activities on the Kainji and other man-made lakes in Nigeria in the following areas:-
- Fisheries, Wildlife, Agriculture, Limnology, Public Health, Sociology,
- Economics and Range Management with the objective of making
- The research results available for the development of the country. .
In 1987 the mandate changed to mono-commodity and research activities were centred in the following areas of Freshwater Fisheries and other Aquatic Resources such as:-
(a) Genetic improvement of freshwater fishes and other aquatic resources in rivers and lakes (Natural and man-made);
(b) The abundance, distribution and other biological characteristic of freshwater fishes and other aquatic resources;
(c) Hydrological behaviour of natural and man-made lakes;
(d) Limnology of surface and ground water around natural and man-made lakes;
(e) Rational exploitation and utilization of freshwater aquatic resources;
(f) Ecological and socio-economic effects of the development of man-made lakes;
(g) Aquaculture;
(h) Any other matters related to a-g above.
The Institute shall also:-
- carry out extension research liaison with Federal and State Ministries, primary producers, industries and other users of research results on matters of freshwater fisheries and other aquatic resources in collaboration with AERLS:
- provide technical and vocational training in Freshwater Fisheries and related fields leading to the award of National Diploma;
- provide laboratory and other technical services to fish farmers, industry and others concerned with freshwater fisheries problems;
- in carrying out this mandate, collaborate with all other relevant Research Institutes and Organizations
VISION
To be the foremost Research Institute in setting directions for Nigerian Freshwater Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Research and Development
MISSION
To advance scientific management through research and development in order to improve the livelihood of fishing communities and enhance sustainable exploitation, utilization and conservation of fisheries and other aquatic resources in inland water bodies of Nigeria.
Available training programmes in fisheries/aquaculture in the following areas:
| S/N | Title | Duration |
| 1 | Fish Feed & Management | One (1) week |
| 2 | Fish Fingerling Production & Hatchery Management | a. Two (2) weeks for fry production only b. Four (4) weeks for both fry & fingerling production |
| 3 | Pond Fish Culture & Management | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 4 | Cage Fish Culture & Management | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 5 | All – Male Tilapia Fingerling & Table Size Fish Production | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 6 | Integrated Poultry – Fish Farming | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 7 | Integrated Rice – Fish Farming | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 8 | Entrepreneurship Skills in Fish Processing, Value Addition & Quality Control | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 9 | Dynamics of Group Formation for fish farming Business | One (1) week |
| 10 | Fisheries Extension Techniques for Extension Officers | One (1) week |
| 11 | Pond Construction Techniques for Fisheries Superintendents | One (1) week |
| 12 | Global Best Practices for Fish Farm Managers | One (1) week |
| 13 | Youth Empowerment in Aquaculture | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 14 | Women Empowerment in Aquaculture | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 15 | Systematic Fisheries Data Collection that is Valid for Scientific Analysis | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 16 | Ornamental Fish Production | One – two (1-2) weeks |
| 17 | Water Quality Management Strategies for Aquaculture Development | One (1) week |
| 18 | Fishing Laws, Ethics & Regulations for Responsible Fishing & Management for Senior Fisheries Officers/Directors | One (1) week |
| 19 | Sensitization campaign on | One (1) week |
| Close season & restocking of reservoirs, | ||
| Setting up of fish farms |
ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTION OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR FRESHWATER FISHERIES RESEARCH (NIFFR) TO FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA AND WEST AFRICAN SUB-REGION
| Breakthrough/Management Strategies | Impact | Technology Development |
| Pioneered induced breeding of catfish species in Nigeria | Availability of Catfish fingerlings in NigeriaIncrease in Catfish farming activities in Nigeria (CAFAN) | Improved Technology for the Induced breeding of Indigenous Catfishes (Clarias and Heterobranchus sp) |
| Pioneered hybrid fish development | Production of high quality, fast growing and disease-resistant Fingerlings of catfishes, Tilapias, Heterotis etcIncrease in fish yiel0d from fish farmingJob opportunities from fish farmingEmpowerment of women in fish marketingMass production of tilapia, and Heterotis juveniles | Improved Technology for the Induced breeding of Indigenous Catfishes (Clarias and Heterobranchus sp)Year-round egg production and breeding of Indigenous Catfishes (Clarias/Heterobranchus) for fingerling production in the Northern Dry/Low Rainfall Regions of NigeriaAll male production of indigenous tilapia in ponds and reservoirs Production of juveniles Heterotis niloticus |
| Pioneered mass-production of zooplankton for fish larval rearing | Replaced imported Artemia, thereby conserving foreign exchangeIncreased survival of fish hatchlings | Zooplankton sediment inoculum Mass production of zooplankton in fish hatchery |
| Kainji Solar Tent Dryer | Increased shelf-life of fishReduced post-harvest lossesSolar dried fish is comparable to imported stock fishCuts down on CO2 emission | Kainji Solar Tent Fish Dryer |
| Improved Local Traditional (Banda) smoking kiln | Conserves 42%-65% fuel wood, thereby decreasing deforestationReduces post-harvest lossesCuts down on CO2 emission | Improved Banda fish smoking kiln |
| Fish Nutrition and Feed Production | Development of standard feed for fingerlings, juveniles and broodstock of culturable catfish and TilapiaProduction of various types of fish feed using local material Reduced importation of feed due to local production of feed | Fish Feed Formulation Technologies using locally available ingredients Locally fabricated hand and mechanical pelleting machine |
| Development and Patent of Kainji Gas smoking Kiln | Eliminate excessive use of firewood Highly environmental friendlyReduces post-harvest and enhance quality | Kainji Gas smoking kiln |
| Pioneered research in the use of local Bamboo in Cage fish culture | Create the awareness in cage fish culture in Nigeria and in particular in Niger Delta community | Models for cage fish culture using different net materials Techniques for cage construction |
| Fish Farming Practices | Increase in number of successful fish farms in NigeriaEnhanced overall fish farming businessEnhanced employment opportunities in fish farming practices | Management Strategies and best practices in fish farming |
| Provision of extensive baseline environmental studies on Nigerian water bodies of agro-ecological zones of Nigeria | Environmental Impact Assessment of Lake Kainji, Shiroro, Goronyo, Sokoto-Rima, Lafia Agric projects, Dadinkowa, Kiri, Tiga, Oguta, Ojirami, Jebba lake, Agba, IITA reservoir, Jabi, Lower Usman Dam etc. | Survey report on inland waterbodies investigated and documented |
| Production of reference documents on some important aquatic resources in Nigeria, which include: water bodies, ornamental fishes, gear and craft, fishing communities | Information on location, size and fisheries potential of inland waterbodies of Nigeria. Also information on fishing gears, ornamental fishes and list of all fishing communities in 36 states and FCT of Nigeria | Database of inland waterbodies of NigeriaThree-stage stratified sampling technique for catch assessment of inland water fisheriesGang Polyvinyl-Chloride (PVC) Pipes Trap |
| Transplantation of fish to the following lakes/rivers | Tiga (Kano): freshwater sardines transferred from Lake Kainji Jankara (Kano): Tilapia transferred to Tiga LakeAgba and Asa (Kwara): Catfish transferred from NIFFR hatcheryTransfers of fish species resulted in increase in secondary productivity and overall increase in fish production of the Lakes | Modified models of fish transportation tanks Management techniques and strategies in fish transplantation |
| Fish Disease Control and Management | Awareness of fish disease as integral part of fish farming | Fish heat stroke and temperature control in ponds |
| Water Quality and Control Management | Awareness of Water Quality as critical component of fish farming | NIFFR Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Colour ChartMechanical Waste Siphon (Manual) |
| Fish Technology Development | Technologies Developed to enhance quality and value addition to fish products | Improved Fish Retail TableModified Drum Kiln (MDK)NIFFR Fish Chin-Chin |
| Taxanomic description of new species | Description of new species of Malapterus electricus (On a new species of electric catfish from Kainji Nigeria with some observation on its biology) J. Fish Biology 30: 75-89 (1987)Description of new species of parasites of tilapia including M. kaijie for Nigeria and West African Sub-region. (Myxosporea (Protozoa) infection of cultured tilapia in Nigeria) J. Afr. Zool. 104: 77-91 (1990)Description of new species of Zooplankton in Nigeria and West Africa Sub-region (Notes on the taxonomy and distribution of Brachionus durgae Dhanapathi 1974 (Rotifer: Bracshionidae) J. Afr. Zool 108:397-400 (1994) | New fish species New parasite species New rotifer species |
| Pioneered design, construction and installation of mechanical boom for the control of Water hyacinth on Lake Kainji. | Prevention of almost collapsed fisheries of Lake Kainji and River NigerImproved navigationImproved fish yield and catches of Lake Kainji | Mechanical boom barrier technology for control of water hyacinth |
| Short-term training of middle and high level manpower | Improved professional skills and increased fish production | NIFFR as Centre formal and informal academic knowledge acquisition and practical skills for fishers |
| Training of Students on industrial attachment | Enhanced linkage with all universities of agriculture and colleges of agriculture in Nigeria | NIFFR as Centre for formal and informal academic knowledge acquisition and practical skills for fishers |
| Training of private fish farmers and workshops on Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA) and Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) | 63 fisheries and rural development officers have been trainedOutreach practical skills training on fish farming practices at Owerri, Gboko, Delta and MakurdiEnhanced the establishment of private fish farms and hatchery in the Middle Belt area of Nigeria | Formal and informal academic knowledge acquisition and practical skillsManagement strategies in the establishment of successful private fish farms |
| Execution of Community projects for poor women fish processors at Tatabu and Tunga Mairawa | Improved income and livelihood, poverty reduction, women empowerment, and livelihood diversification | Cooperative formation |
| Establishment of Private fish seed production business centre for Gboko Cooperative Fish Farmers | Over 200 fish farmers have been trained; Increased brookstock farming in Gboko area has resulted in Gboko as a centre for Clarias and Heterobranchus broodstock supply to fish farmers in Nigeria | Fish farming entrepreneurship |
| Provision of resident fish breeders increased breeding services to private farms at Imo, Gboko and Abuja | Increased fingerlings and broodstock production at Imo, Gboko and AbujaIncrease in earnings for fingerlings and broodstock production | Residency of breeders on breeding and hygiene practices |
| Computerization of NIFFR Library. Installation of wireless Internet facility and GPS System | Easy retrieval of information/documentsIncreased user-friendly atmosphere of researchers from universities | ICT on library useage |
| Production of Nigerian Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Database and its Abstracts | Effective bibliographic production and dissemination of Nigerian fisheries information | User aid to Fisheries bibliography |
| NIFFR now ASFA Input Centre for Nigerian Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences | Nigerian fisheries literature are imputed into international database, thereby making them internationally accessible | Linkage and literature inter library exchange |
| Linkages, collaboration, outreach programmes, trade fairs, agricultural shows, open days, Research in use platforms, conferences, seminars, workshops | Increases in partnerships, linkages and collaboration with private fish farmers, agencies, Research Centres etcAwareness of Institute activities with neighbouring countries Cameroon, Benin Republic Mali, also Egypt, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Malawi, Niger, Ethiopia in area of Aquacultures | Enhances demand driven Research for development |
- Fish Preservation & Storage Technologies
| Technology | Research Output | Brief | Partnership |
| Improved Fish Retail Table | Enhanced hygiene and pest control | Further research | |
| Ice Box | Simple wood and Styrofoam boxes for carrying fish | Commercialization | |
| Solar tent | Simple renewable use of sun light for drying non fatty fish | Research/commercialization | |
| Briqutte machine & Briquettes produced from composite materials for fish drying | |||
| Modernized Smoking Kiln (1 Tonne – 1,000Kg Capacity) & Smoked fish using the modernized smoking kiln |
- Aquaculture Technologies
| Technology | Research Output | Brief | Partnership |
| Fish Genetic and Engineering | Triploid productionSupper male tilapia productionAll male tilapia productionGenetic improvement of culture species | Research/capacity building and commercialization | |
| Improved Technology for the Induced Breeding of Indigenous Catfishes | Induced spawning of eggsManual stripping of eggs from the females Outdoor management of fry | Commercialization | |
| Mass fingerling | Fingerling production through induced breeding, and advanced practice in the management of fry and fingerling to achieve over 70% survival rate | Research/commercialization | |
| Year-round Egg Production and Breeding of Indigenous Catfishes | Advanced techniques in the breeding of catfishes | Research/commercialization | |
| Zooplankton Sediment Inoculums | Advanced techniques in the mass production and sedimentation | Research/commercialization | |
| Fish Feed Formulation | Various standard fish formula for fingerling, juvenile, broodstock, of tilapia and catfishes etc. | Research/capacity building and commercialization | |
| Integrated Fish Farming | Design, construction and establishment of Rice-cum and Poultry-cum fish farming | Research/capacity building and commercialization | |
| Broodstock production | Selective breeding, and best practices, enhanced feed and feeding practice for production of good quality broodstock | Research/commercialization | |
| Fish Transportation Technology | Fabrication of tanksPolythene bags | Research | |
| Bamboo fish cage culture platform | Construction of cage platforms using bamboo, with harpers and protective nets | Commercialization | |
| Pond construction | Designs and construction of ponds and reservoir, channels in relation to topography and site location | Research/capacity building | |
| Rice-cum-fish culture | Design, construction and management of rice-cum-fish farm | Research |
| Technology | Research Output | Brief | Partnership |
| Research in use management | Training techniques in SLA, PRO, outreach programme, cooperative formation. | Capacity building | |
| Gear Construction | Design and construction of various gear suitable for Inland waterbodies | Research/capacity building | |
| Biological Control of Aquatic Weeds | Use of weevils and fungi infestation | Research and Capacity Building | |
| Aquatic Weed Utilization | Utilization of Aquatic Weeds for medicinal and food condiments | Research | |
| Three-Stage Stratified Sampling Technique for Catch Assessment of Inland Water Fisheries | Enhanced biological and statistical techniques in sampling, catch assessment and sustainable management of fisheries of waterbody | Research/capacity building | |
| NIFFR Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Colour Chart | Simple fill techniques for measuring Dissolved Oxygen (DO) | Research/capacity building | |
| Fish Disease Techniques | Simple fill techniques and experiences for the assessment of fish health and hygiene control | Research/capacity building | |
| Water Testing Kits | Equipment for measuring water parameters in aquaculture | ||
| Mechanical Waste Siphon (Manual) | Mechanical process of removing waste in Aquarium | Commercialization |
Website: www.niffrng.org
Email: contact@niffr.gov.ng, niffish@gmail.com