Fisheries and aquaculture are applied biological natural sciences concerned with the biology, production, population dynamics and management of fisheries, shellfish and other related aquatic plant and animals used as food by man. Fisheries domicile its activities in the natural water bodies – rivulets, rivers, streams, ponds, swamps, estuaries, lagoons, coastal waters, inshore and floodplain lakes. Aquaculture emphasis is on fisheries activities in man-made aquatics basins or fabrications. Fisheries activities in man-made aquatic environment sensu lato to increase production (either in terms of biomass or numbers) and the catchability to man (fishermen) based on the effectiveness and technology of man’s fishing gears. Fisheries could be artisanal (subsistence low technology level), medium-scale (motorized, dug-out canoe-based fisheries) and industrial trawler-based offshore fisheries. Fisheries and aquaculture are very multi-disciplinary sciences – drawing on physics and chemistry and microbiology for water quality assessment of the medium of production, algae and aquatic plants (macrophytes) for the fish and fisheries primary productivity food and feeding stuff, secondary level producers foods either planktonic or benthic- zooplanktonic rotifers, micro and macro crustacea, fish eggs, detritus and even tertiary producers such as fish fry, juveniles or fingerlings. These aspects constitute the hydrobiology, limnology or oceanography that is usually inevitable adjuncts of fisheries/aquaculture sciences giving the broad scope of the discipline. All in all, fisheries, not different from aquaculture is predicated on the basic sciences of the “fish” – taxonomy, biology, anatomy, morphology, ecology, aetiology, geography/distribution, breeding and genetics etc.

The philosophy of the department is to produce graduates that are adequately equipped with the comprehensive theoretical knowledge and practical skill required for engaging in sustainable and economic fish production to achieve food security, efficient management of aquatic ecosystems and self-actualization.

1. To produce graduates geared towards self-employment
2. To produce graduates with sufficient technical, productive and entrepreneurship skill who will be involved in the production, research and entrepreneurship in such aspects as aquaculture, capture fisheries, ornamental fisheries and aquatic environment management for sustainability.
3. Foster application of the research results to the benefit of the larger society through pilot demonstration and schemes.
4. Collaborate with Federal, State and International agencies in areas of fisheries research, conservation and production.
5. Create awareness among youths of career opportunities in the fisheries and aquaculture sub-sector.