SMOKE-CURING OF FISH BY ARTISANAL FISHERFOLKS IN ILAJE, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
A survey of fish smoking processes was conducted in Ilaje Local Government Area (ILGA) of Ondo State between March and June 2001. Data were collected from fish processors at different fishing communities with the aid of structured questionnaires Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
The predominant processing and preservation techniques employed is smoke-drying (93.75%) with sundrying accounting for 6.25%. Two types of traditional smoking kiln used were oil drum and raffia palm racks. Firewood and kerosine are the main combustion fuels used during smoke-drying. Commonly use wood that produced good quality smoked fish were Rhizophora racemosa, Nauclea diderrichii, Lophira alata, Nauclea latifolia, and Entadrophragma cylindricum..
Various fish species and sizes were processed Based on frequency of occurrence the family Clupidae had the highest number of fish processed while shrimp/prawn had the least. Fish smoking procedure starts from collection from the capture site to smoking of fish in the smoking room. Scales of fish are not removed before smoking. Small size fish are smoked singly or in multiples on sticks. Large sized fish are smoked singly or in twos and threes. The same species are always sticked together. Small, medium and large-sized fish were not gutted before smoking while extra large are cut in o chunks before smoking.
References
Al-Jedah, J. H, Ali, M. Z and Robinson, R. K, 1999. The nutritional importance to local communities of fish caught off the coast of Quatar. Nutrition and Food Science, 6: 288-294.
Clucas, I.J. 1981. Fish handling preservation and processing in the tropics: Part I. Report of the Tropical Development and Research institute, G 144, VIII+ 141 PP.
Eyo, A.A, 1977. An appraisal of the traditional fish handling and processing in Kanji Lake area. Kanji
Lake Research Institute News letter 3 (2).
Fagade, SO.. 1992. Keynote on production, utilization and marketing. In Fisheries status and opportunity. Proceeding of the 10'x' Annual conference of FISON Abeokuta, 16-20`x' N o v ,
992 Page 9-12.
FAO 1987 -The prevention of losses in cured fish, 87pp FA.O/APHCA Paper, 216.
FAO 1986. Freezing in fisheries FAO Technical Paper No. 167, 83 pp.
FAO 2000. FAO Yearbook 2000. Fisheries Statistics-Commodities. Vol 91, FAO, Rome 20002. Igene, J.O. 1987. Drying of fish: factors to consider. In: Proceeding of the 3" Annual conference of FISON. PP 123-13 1.
Osuji, F.N.C. 1976. The influence of traditional handling ethods on the quality of processed fish in Nigeria. In: Proceedings of the conference on the Handling, processing and marketing of Tropical
fish. 13`x' to l9th April, 1976 organized by the Tropical Product Institute, London 201 pp.
Rawson G C and Sai, F. A. 1966. A short guide to fish preservation. FAO, Rome.
Tobor, J.G. 1984. A review of the fishing industry in Nigeria and status of fish preservation methods and future growth- pre requisites to cope with anticipated increase in production. NIOMR Technical paper, No. 17.
Watanabe 1991. Preservation of fish and meat AGRODOK 12. Second Edition 1996.
