| Summary: | Technical Characteristics of Fish Farming in the Forestry Zone of Center Cameroon. A survey and interviews of 62 fish farmers from the forestry zone of Centre Cameroon were undertaken between July 1991 and September 1992. Fish breeders, all christians and males (95 %), were farmers (77 %), and more than 30 years old. They were all married (93 %), with 61 % monogamous and 33 % polygamous, with an average of 14 children per family. Illeteracy rate was low (13 %). Most of the fish farmers were not professionally trained (92 %). Technical characteristics of ponds were satisfactory, and most of them were dam ponds. The fishes were fed with agro-by-products (92 %), and agro-industrial by-products. The main species in culture was Oreo-chromis niloticus (89 %). Breeding cycle varied from 6 months to 5 years. The labour was mainly family, using non specialized equipments (85 %) for harvesting. The product harvested, not controled, was consumed or used as gifts (83 %). The main constraints for fish farmers and technicians were the lack of technical assistance and fingerlings. Dam's collapse and poaching were the main reasons for the abandon of fish farming. These reasons seemed not satisfactory because lack of financial means was not raised, suggesting that social prestige, now lacking, was the main reason for the adoption of fish breeding by the farmers, instead of economic and supply reasons.
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