Application of Good Aquaculture Practices in Catfish Production Farms in Anambra State

This study assessed the level of adoption of Good Aquaculture Practices (GAP) among catfish production farms in Anambra State, South East Nigeria, and identified barriers preventing full compliance with recommended standards. Good Aquaculture Practices encompass biosecurity, water quality management, responsible feed use, record-keeping, and environmental stewardship, and their adoption is increasingly required for market access and export certification. A structured assessment tool based on FAO and Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service GAP standards was administered to 70 catfish farms across four local government areas. Farms were scored on a compliance index covering ten GAP domains. Results showed that average compliance was 48 percent across all sampled farms, with the highest compliance scores recorded in feeding management and stocking records. Biosecurity protocols, including visitor control, footbath use, and equipment disinfection, were among the lowest-scoring domains, with only 21 percent of farms demonstrating adequate practices. Environmental waste disposal procedures were non-compliant in 76 percent of farms. Record-keeping was poor, with 58 percent of farms maintaining only informal or no written production records. Farms that had received accredited training showed compliance scores 34 percent higher than those without training. The study recommends the development of a tiered, farm-level GAP certification programme, provision of subsidised compliance training through state extension systems, and the integration of GAP requirements into government aquaculture support programmes in Anambra State. Keywords: Good Aquaculture Practices, catfish farming, biosecurity, compliance, Anambra State