Impact of Petroleum Exploration Activities on Fisheries Productivity in Imo State Riverine Communities

This study assessed the impact of petroleum exploration and production activities on fisheries productivity and the livelihoods of riverine fishing communities in Imo State, South East Nigeria. Although Imo State is primarily associated with agricultural production, ongoing oil exploration in the Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta local government areas affects several river systems and community fishing grounds. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 80 fishing households in four oil-impacted communities, supplemented by water quality measurements and comparative catch data from community fishing records spanning five years. Variables assessed included fish catch trends, water quality changes, oil spill incidents, compensation received, and adaptive livelihood strategies. Results indicated that fish catches in the four communities had declined by an average of 43 percent over five years, correlating with increased oil exploration activity in the study area. Water quality data showed elevated total petroleum hydrocarbons and reduced dissolved oxygen at three of four monitoring points. Seven reported oil spill incidents had occurred within the study period, with only two resulting in formal remediation. Community members reported that compensation processes were opaque, slow, and inadequate. Fishing ground displacement had forced some fishers to travel up to 12 kilometres further to access productive waters, increasing costs and reducing trip frequency. The study recommends mandatory environmental impact assessment enforcement, expedited spill remediation, transparent community compensation frameworks, and the establishment of livelihood transition programmes for fishers in petroleum-impacted areas of Imo State. Keywords: petroleum exploration, fisheries productivity, oil spill, livelihood impact, Imo State