ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the strategies adopted by small-scale rural fishermen in the Niger Delta to deal with the disruptive impacts of oil production activities on their economic base. Migration from the communities represents the most far-reaching adaptive measure that has been taken by the people to counteract their dwindling source of livelihood. The implication is that any policy or programme adopted to address the issue of the environmental deterioration within the context of planning must take cognizance of related adaptive tendencies. The physical and ecological limitations of the environment coupled with smallness of the settlements and the general low level of tempo of economic activities have actually limited the scope and number of occupational combinations available to the community. Granted that the incidence of oil pollution has been on the increase in the Niger Delta and the study area, the reports of the locals regarding the decreasing quantity of fish catch may be credible.
