The high rate of urbanization and population explosion in the world has placed high demand for food especially the demand for fish, which has continued to rise. Globally, aquaculture has manifested as a significant means of nutritious food production, income generation and livelihood support in the lives of people. This study investigated the impact of aquaculture farming on economic improvement of residents’ of Buguma in Rivers State of Nigeria. The study was undertaken as a mixed method research with the use of convenience and stratified random sampling of households in twenty eight (28) streets in Buguma. The total number of questionnaires administered to residents households’ heads were 384 and 376 were retrieved. The research design used was the Triangulation Mixed-Method Design and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques involving bar charts, pie charts, histogram with mode and percentages. The result revealed that 73.0% of the respondents were of the opinion that the Buguma fish farm had positive impact on the residents, while 5.8% sees more of its negative impact. In terms of benefits derived from the fish farm by the residents, 59.0% strongly agreed that it was a source of employment. With this positive information, the Buguma aquaculture can be used to improve the economic stay of Buguma and other riverine communities. Thus, it is recommended that the Buguma aquaculture farms be restored with proper collaboration with the state government, local government, experienced companies and other stakeholders and that the key stakeholders should adopt an agropolitan development model that will boost economic activities and guide rural development in this study area.

Keywords : Aquaculture, Rural Development, Fishing.