Post-harvesting and Major Related Problems of Fish Production

Fish is an important source of animal protein in the especial cases of African countries, where the combine forces of high cost, disease, low genetic potentials of indigenous species among other factors have raised the cost of livestock almost beyond the reach of the low income groups. Fish becomes readily accessible source of animal protein but this alternative is also threatened by poor post-harvest techniques in African countries, which have resulted in massive losses. This paper discusses about the most important type of post-harvest fish lose. It also describes the cause of these loses, the factors that affect or facilitate such problems. It also briefly describes the mechanisms of problems or conditions that resulted in fish lose. The losses can be physical lose, quality lose, economical or nutritional lose, and also the most important cause of lose is spoilage. Fish lose due to spoilage is estimated to be 10 to 12 million tons per year which accounts 10% of total production of fish. In general post-harvest fish lose results in low income of the society, low quality (unhygienic) fish and available fish products are very low. It also results in low diet or low nutritional value which gives in unhealthy and poor population.