Situation of smoked freshwater fish sold in the markets of Yaoundé city (Central Region of Cameroon) and evaluation of control methods against their insect pests during storage

Abstract

The smoking, storage and conservation of smoked fish remain the most efficient means of ensuring the almost permanent availability of seasonal fishing products. However, stored smoked fish can be infested by insect pests. The aim of this study was to present the situation of smoked fishes sold in the city of Yaoundé and the methods used by the traders to control insect pests. For this purpose, a study was conducted from October to December 2022 in seven markets in Yaoundé where 65 traders were interviewed mainly on their activities, the origin of smoked fishes and the methods used to control insect pests. The inventory and the quantity of smoked fishes was made in different markets. The storage tools were inspected and the samples of infested smoked fish (commons names) (Catfish, Kanga, Carp, Tilapia, Eel fish, Redtail) and samples of apparently not infested fish (Catfish, Kanga, Carp) were bought from traders according to availability and brought back to laboratory. In the Laboratory, the identification of insect pests was done, the number of insect and the galleries of fish’s collection was counted. It emerges from this study that 80.37% traders are women; according to the age group, 41.44% of traders are between [41-50] years old. 53.67% of traders have a primary education level. Cardboard boxes are the most used tools in fish storage (100%). Six (6) freshwater smoked fish are sold and catfish are the most represented with 2,604 boxes of 50 kg. Dermestes maculatus De Geer 1774 (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) (221 larvae and 54 adults) and Necrobia rufipes De Geer 1775 (Coleoptera: Cleridae) (65 larvae and 37 adults) are the insects pests. Catfish is the smoked fish that revealed the largest number of galleries (86). The chemicals used by traders are Rambo (14.10%) and DD force (24.36%). Mayo-Danay provides 49.86% of smoked fish sold in Yaoundé markets. The ANOVA and Duncan tests have shown that significant differences are observed in the various storage tools and control methods used by traders in the various Yaoundé markets to protect smoked fish from insect pests (p<0.001).