Influence Of Fish Trade Activities On The Environment In Gikomba Fish Market, Nairobi County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Post-harvest fisheries activities have been cited as contributors to environmental degradation. The current sanitary situation in urban fish markets is worrying and present threats to the public health and the surrounding environment. The research aimed to investigate and understand how the fish trader’s activities influence the environmental situation in fish markets. A descriptive survey design was used for the research. The target for the study was the fish traders of Gikomba fish market, Nairobi. Random sampling of fish traders was done from a register, using Fischer’s formulae, to calculate the number of respondents. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and was processed using EXCEL and SPSS software packages. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages,) and inferential statistics (Chi square and Logistic Regression) were used to explain the variables. 54% of the respondents did not get piped water. 63.5% of the respondents did not have waste bins and only 31.5% participated in clean-ups. Majority (60.5%) of the respondents noted that fish wastes had a negative effect on the environment. Chi square tests results for fish operator practices in most attributes was statistically associated with environmental situation (P< 0.05). Logistic regression tests results proved that practices such as use of water, disposal of wastes, use of protective clothing and participation in cleanups had a statistically significant influence on the environmental situation (P< 0.05). Perceptions attributes on amount of waste generated, possession of health certificates, drainage infrastructure had a significant influence on the environmental situation (P< 0.05). The researcher noted that 76%, respondents exhibited high level of awareness on the governmental institutional requirements on hygiene and participation in environmental management. Awareness on government institutions services and options available on fish wastes recycling were attributes that significantly affected the environmental situation (P< 0.05). The overall findings led to a support of the key research hypotheses that fish handling practices is significantly related to the environmental situation (P