Economic Implications of COVID-19 Lockdown on Fish Suppliers in Port Harcourt City, Rivers State, Nigeria

This study examined the economic implications of covid-19 lockdown on fish in Port Harcourt city, Rivers State. The objectives of the study are to describe the socio-economic characteristics of fish suppliers in the study area, estimate the sources of fish supply during the covid-19 lockdown, evaluate the economic implications of covid-19 lockdown on fish suppliers and identify the constraints of fish supply during covid-19 lockdown in the study area. Multi-stage sampling techniques were employed to select one hundred respondents. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the objectives. The result showed that more educated married female adults that were involved in the business, they earned sustainable monthly income ranging between N70,000 – N90,000. Their major source of fish supply was from the artisanal. The study also revealed that Covid-19 lockdown had negative impact on the employment opportunities, income generation, business expansion, foreign exchange capacity, price of fish, food security, and the cost of health care services of the fish suppliers. The constraints encountered were climate change, sea pollution, storage and transportation infrastructural deficit, sea piracy and traditional fishing methods. The study concluded that covid-19 lockdown had serious negative implications on the fish suppliers in Port Harcourt city. Based on these findings, it was recommended that storage facilities and improved road networks should be put in place to boost fish supply and improve the economic well-being of fishers.