Global public awareness about fish-based diet and its health/nutritional benefits is on the rise. Fish nutritional profile projects promising bioactive and other compounds with innumerable health benefits for human wellbeing. As various reported researches involving fish/marine-derived molecules reveal promising attributes, and as the position of fish-based nutrients as nutraceuticals continue to strengthen, health challenges still confront communities worldwide, from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity to hypertension. Thus, further understanding of fish-based nutrient impact as functional foods remains crucial given the diverse prevailing compositional/nutraceutical merits. In this review, therefore, we provide important information regarding bioactive compounds and therapeutics obtained from fish, specific to the context of their suitability in functional foods to enhance human health. This contribution is hereby constructed as follows: (a) fish nutraceutical/therapeutic components, (b) constituents of fish-based nutrients and their suitability in functional foods, (c) fish antioxidant/bioactive compounds to help alleviate health conditions, (d) common human ailments alleviated by fish-based nutrients, and (e) role of fish in mental health and immune system. As increased fish consumption should be encouraged, the potential of the quality proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, and other compounds inherent in fish should steadily be harnessed.

Coronavirus is an envelope virus that is persistent in the environment and easily inactivated by the use of chlorine disinfectants. It is a virus novel to human and the first occurrence (SARS-CoV) was detected in Hong Kong in 2003 and a new strain (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China in 2019. The pandemic had spread throughout the world and is spread through respiratory droplets and fecal-oral routes. The use of chlorine disinfectants has been reported to be the best economic solution to the virus and its use has been on the rise leading to increased wastewater generation. Presently, the existence of coronavirus has been reported in wastewater from indoor and outdoor sources and exposure of the aquatic ecosystem to this elevated concentration of chlorine in wastewater can threaten its sustainability and biodiversity. When aerosols or leakages occur from the sources of wastewater, humans can be infected by the virus by inhaling through the respiratory outlets. This review, therefore, highlights the possible presence and effect of the virus in waste water-based and how the aquatic environment can be sustained.

Fish meal is widely used in commercial feed production because of its amino acids profile, and high protein content, however, its usage constitutes a major cost in fish feed production. It is therefore essential to source for a highly nutritious, cheap and readily available substitute which can supply the farmed fish with necessary dietary requirements for proper growth and development. The study utilised house fly maggots (Musca domestica) cultured from poultry waste at varying inclusion levels of 0 (no inclusion), 25, 50, 75 and 100% (maggot inclusions) to replace fish meal in the diets and replicated thrice. A total of 180 Clarias gariepinus juveniles catfish with initial average weight of 10.11±0.12 g were stocked at 12 fish per tank, acclimatised for 2 weeks and fed twice daily at 3% body weight for a period of 12 weeks. The proximate composition of wet maggots showed the presence of favourable amino acids similar to fish meal but had lower crude protein content (47.45%) with high ether extract (22.23%) and moisture content (83.52%). The water quality parameters such as ammonia, temperature and dissolved oxygen were monitored daily and showed no significant difference (P<0.05) among the treatments and were tolerable for fish culture. Sampling of fish was done weekly, the growth and nutrient utilisation, economic indices and haematological studies were done and analysis of variance was used for the statistical analysis. It was observed that 75% inclusion of wet maggot gave better results and rapid utilisation and conversion of feed to flesh and was evident in the weight gain (50.71 g), lowest feed conversion ratio (1.04±0.04), highest specific growth rate (1.99±0.00 g/day) and cheap in terms of cost of production (₦ 172.12). This shows that 75% of wet maggots can be recommended as an inclusion level in commercial fish feed for adequate utilisation by C. gariepinus juveniles.

The food habit and ecological balance of fish species in Osun River were investigated for a period of 12 months (November 2017 to October 2018) with monthly sampling of water and fish species in the river. Fish were sampled using monofilament gill nets of mesh size between 25mm and 101mm. A total of 4544 individuals belonging to 19 species and 10 families were captured. They were grouped based on their feeding habits into herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Carnivores dominated the River (38.63%) with Cichlids being the most abundant family (95.10%) and Oreochromis niloticus the most abundant fish species (14.10%). The Forage - Carnivore ratio (F/C) for the dry, wet and combined season was 0.64, 0.34 and 0.48 respectively. T-test showed significant differences (P < 0.05) between all the trophic groupings in relation to seasons. The mean values recorded across the sampling months were Temperature (18.70 oC ± 2.69), pH (7.10 ± 0.25) and Dissolved Oxygen (3.20 mg/L ± 0.54) while Ammonia (1.20 mg/L ± 0.18) was significantly different (P < 0.05) across the months of study. For the sampling points, mean values recorded were Temperature (17.90 oC ± 0.31), pH (7.20 ± 0.12), Dissolved Oxygen (3.20 mg/L ± 0.27 mg/L) and Ammonia (0.10 mg/L ± 0.21). The abundance of carnivores is not desirable, and it is therefore essential to maintain the ratio of forage and carnivorous fish species in the river for conservation of fish species.

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