Global Journal of Fisheries Science

With the reduction in the volume and the surface area of Lake Chad over the years due to extreme weather conditions, the fish output has been grossly affected. Due to this fluctuation in fish production, fishing opportunities have been reduced. Over 96% of fishing communities in Lake Chad derive about 80%-90% of their income from fishing. The study looked at how the fish sellers (Fatoma) perceived the impacts of these climate change conditions on employment and other socio-economic variables in their profession. A questionnaire was designed to obtain primary data using the membership register of their association. A sample of 222 was randomly drawn using the Krejcie and Morgan formula (1970) to meet the sample requirement for structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis. A family of multivariate data analysis techniques composed of exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and SEM was used to assess the model fit. After validity and reliability analyses, factor loadings were estimated to confirm the level of association between constructs and their indicators, as well as measurement errors. The study concluded that the perception of fish sellers on the effects of climate change on socio-economic variables is more significant in the anthropogenic climate change perception (CCP) dimension than in the natural CCP dimension. Also, fish sellers with higher income perceived employment opportunities in the fish trade despite the impacts of climate change. However, experienced fish sellers did not perceive employment opportunities in the face of climate change in the trade. It was recommended that governments and their agencies should create climate change awareness through advocacy programmes among the fish trade stakeholders in the area.