Integer Programming Approach to Optimizing Fisheries Harvest and Distribution in the Lake Chad Basin, Borno State

The Lake Chad Basin fisheries in Borno State, North East Nigeria, represent a critical livelihood resource for hundreds of thousands of fishing households, yet persistent conflict, declining lake levels, and uncoordinated harvest and distribution practices have eroded sector productivity and economic returns. This study applies integer programming to optimize fisheries harvest scheduling and distribution logistics in the accessible zones of the Lake Chad Basin fisheries in Borno State. Sustainable harvest quotas by species and fishing zone are established using biological reference points derived from recent stock assessment data. A mixed-integer programming model is formulated to maximize total fisheries economic value subject to sustainable harvest quotas, labour availability, cold storage capacity, transportation constraints, and market demand at designated distribution points. The model determines optimal harvesting schedules, fleet deployment, and distribution routes from lakeside landing sites to major markets in Maiduguri and regional towns. Results indicate that optimized harvesting and distribution increases aggregate economic value of the harvest by 31 percent relative to current practices, primarily through better species mix management, cold storage utilization, and reduced post-harvest losses. Post-harvest losses are estimated to fall from 28 percent to 11 percent of total catch value under the optimal plan. Recommendations include establishing fisheries cooperatives to coordinate harvest schedules, investing in mobile cold storage units, and training fishing community leaders in basic operations planning. Keywords: integer programming, fisheries optimization, Lake Chad Basin, Borno State, post-harvest losses