Characterization of genetic biodiversity of Nile perch, Lates niloticus, Tilapiines, Haplochromine flock and Ningu (Labeo victorianus) in the Victoria Lake Basin: an overview

Genetic biodiversity is the vaflatlOn among individuals within and between units of interbreeding individuals (populations) of a species. It includes inheritable and transmittable differences that occur between individuals andlor popuhitions of a given species through reproductive interaction. There exists enormous variability among individuals andlor populations of a species for most living organisms, and most of this variation is inheritable. differences among individuals arise through mutation and via recombination of genes during meiosis. These ifferences are then transmitted to successive generations through sexual reproduction and maintained in the populations through processes such as natural selection and genetic drift. Unfortunately much of this variation is normally threatened and often in danger of extinction because most focus in conservation of natural resources is put at saving species or habitats than varieties or strains of a species

Reproductive physiology of ribbon fish (Trichiurus lepturus)

The ribbon fishes ‘of the family Trichiuridac are represented as one of the most important food resources in Indian ocean. High density of the dominant species of ribbon fish (Trichiurus lepturus) in Oman sea and the 'Tillable catch in last yeas (more than 7000 tones per year) makes a trust area for studing their population biolog and stock assessment. As our knowledge on reproductive biology of this species has an important role on their fisheries management, as well as conservation of this stock from decline or over fishing, this research was held to determine some aspects of reproductive physiology of ribbon fish and the effects of environmental factors in gonadal cycle. The goals of the present thesis is to determine some aspects of reproductive physiology such as gonadosomatic index (GSI) , hepatosomatic index (HSI), condition factor (Ko, fecundity, sex ratio, size at first maturity, size at maturity (LM5O) and their relative hormonal & biochemical fluctuations. In this regards annual variation of sex hormones ic. estradiol 17-B, progestron, cortisol, testostrone and gonadotropins FSH (GTH-I) , LH (GTH-ll)I were measured ; gonadal histological studies were done by light & electron micrography. The research was carried out from April 1995 to January 19% in Ras Nleidani in the north part of Oman sea, and the environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, oxygen, rainfall and pH were measured. The effects of these parameters on reproductive cycle and hormonal fluctuationswere discussed by using correlation and principle component analysis (PCA). Female Ribbon fish reproductive strategy shows the same paterns of nonguarder marine teleosts. T. lepturus has more than one spawning season (existance of egges in different size in each month) and therfore it must have asynchronous ovaries and belong to continious spawners. GSI and HSI are good evidences for this type of reproductive patern. The testis of the lobular type , which is typical of most teleosts , is composed of numerous lobules which are separated from each other by a thin layer of fibrous connective tissue. GSI fluctuations revealed prolong- spawning time in males. There is significant increase in 17-13 estradiol. progestrone , cortisol and gonadotropins with maturity and prespawning period of female T lepturus. Plasma concentration of E2 and GTH II incresaed along with water temperature increasing (3300).. Spawning was observed from Nov. 1995 to Apr. 1996 in this species. Progestrone increased significantly with increasing rainfall in this season (P<0.01). Plasma cortisol levels increased with maturation and vitelpgenesis and also with the peak of spawning. From lenght-weight frequency and size distribution in each age groups and also minimum size at first maturity (52a cm) it would he concluded that T. lepturus must be matured at 2 years of age. Serum cholestrol and triglicerides significantly increased when maturation occured in this species. The relationship between alkaline phosphatase activity and hormonal fluctuations with maturity and vitelogenesis were discussed. Proximate compostion (muscle) shows significant variation with spawning period and maturity. Absolute individual fecundity (17420-159150) increased with body length and weight. Ultrastructural observations show dramatic variation in cell membrane (0ocyte membrane), yolk vesicles and, nucleolus dispersal in relation to maturity stages. fluctuations of gonadal hormones were discused in relation with vitelogenesis. Testosterone increased in males from Nov: to Mar. due to environmental impacts and spawning time. Sex ratio in different depth (10-40 m ,80-110 m) shows significnt differences in this ratio for two depths. In 10-40 m depth female shows dominant abundance to male in each months that may be due to their reproductive migration behaviour. The effects of temperature photoperiod and rainfall to maturity and spawning were discussed. According to -pawning period of T. leptunts in our sampling area it could be suggested that ribbon fish fi,theries must be restricted in the peak of spawning seasons (Feb. to Mar.) and in the spawning grounds (under 40 m depths). Other suggestions for population conservation have been mentioned.

The biology, ecology and the fishery of Mukene, Rastrineobola argentea in Lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo

Rastrineobola argentea, local name.s Mukene (Uganda) Omena (Kenya) and Dagaa (Tanzania) occurs in lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo (Greenwood 1966). Until the decline of the native fishes especially the haplochromines, R. argentea was of little economic importance to the fisheries of these lakes. The stocks of this species have now increased and commercial catches on Lake Victoria account for over 30%. Fishing for R. argentea is currently still restricted to inshore areas and within the fringing islands of Lake Victoria. This fishery is not yet established on Lakes Kyoga and Nabugabo although the species is quite abundant in these lakes (Proude 1963). On moonless nights, kerosene pressure lamps are exposed on the lake to attract the fishes. These fishes are then fished out using fine meshed seine, lampara or lift nets

The biology, ecology, population parameters and the fishery of the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L)

Oreochromis niloticus (the Nile tilapia) and three other ti1apine species: Oreochromis leucostictus, Tilapia zi11ii and T. rendallii were introduced into Lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo in 1950s and 1960s. The source and foci of the stockings are given by Welcomme (1966) but the origin of the stocked species was Lake Albert. The Nile tilapia was introduced as a management measure to relieve fishing pressure on the endemic tiapiines and, since it grows to a bigger size, to encourage a return to the use of larger mesh gill nets. Ti1apia zillii was introduced to fill a vacant ,niche of macrophytes which could not be utilised' by the other tilapiines. Tilapia rendallii, and possibly T. leucosticutus could been introduced into these lakes accidently as a consquence of one of the species being tried out for aquaculture. The Nile perch and Nile tilapia have since fully established themselves and presently dominate the commercial fisheries of Lakes Victoria and Kyoga. The original fisheries based on the endemic tilapiines O. escu1entus and o. variabilis have collapsed. It is hypothesized that the ecological and limnological changes that are observed in Lakes Victoria and Kyoga are due to a truncation of the original food webs of the two lakes. Under the changed conditions, O. niloticus to be either playing a stabilizing role or fuelling nutrient turnover in the lakes. Other testable hypotheses point to the possible role of predation by the Nile perch, change in regional climate and hydrology in the lake basins.

Changes in fish fauna and the impact of the introductions on fish yield

There have been considerable changes in fish species composition in Lakes victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo since the Nile perch were introduced. Populations of most of the native species have declined and many species may have become extinct. The original decline in the fish stocks was due to overfishing but the recent and more drastic decline has been attributed to predation by the Nile perch. Nile perch feeds on invertebrates changing to a piscivorous diet with size. Haplochromine cichlids, which were the most abundant fish in Lakes Victoria just before the Nile perch populations started increasing rapidly have been depleted. As more suitable types of prey were depleted in the new habi tats, Nile perch switched to other prey types to the extent of feeding even on its own young. There are, fears that the Nile perch will overshoot its food supply, resulting in a reduction of its own population and subsequently a collapse in the fishery (FAD 1985).

The biology and ecology of the Nile perch, Lates niloticus, and the future of its fishery in Lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo

Lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo had a similar native fish fauna of high species diversity. stocks of most of the native species declined rapidly and some completely disappeared after Nile perch was introduced and became well established. Although, overexploitation of the fish stocks, competition between introduced and native tilapiines and environmental degradation contributed to the reduction in fish stocks, predation by the Nile perch has contributed much to the recent drastic reductions in fish stock and could even drive the stocks to a total collapse. Nile perch is also currently the most important commercial species in Lakes victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo and the stability of its stocks is important in the overall sustainability of the fisheries of these lakes. The question that was to be examined in this paper was whether the fisheries of Lakes Victoria, Kyogaand Nabugabo would stabilize and sustain production in the presence of high predation pressure by the Nile perch or whether the Nile perch would drive the fish stocks including itself to a collapse. I t was assumed that Nile perch driven changes in Lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo would be driven to a level beyond which they would not change further. This would be followed by recovery and stability or the changes would continue to a point of collapse. It was assumed that Lake Albert represented the ideal stable state. The changes in the new habitats expected to be driven through a major change due to Nile perch predation to a stage where there would be no further changes. After this, a feedback mechanism would move the driven variable towards recovery. The variables would then stabilize and oscillate will an amplitude which approximates to what would be recorded in Lake Albert. Alternatively, the changes would proceed to a stage where the fishery would collapse. The specific hypothesis was that fish species composition and diversity, prey selection by the Nile perch and life history characteristics of the Nile perch in the new habitats would change and stabilize

The impact of fishing gears and methods: with recommendations for management of the fisheries of Lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo

Historical analysis has shown that use of destructive fishing gears and methods contributed much to the initial depletion of fish stocks from Lakes Victoria and Kyoga. From about 1930 to 1960, the fisheries of Lake Victoria were managed by controlling the mesh size of gill nets. Gill net s of less than 127 mm (5) stretched mesh had been prohibited on Lake Victoria because they cropped immature Oreochromis esculentus (Ngege) which were at that time the most important commercial species. When the mesh size restriction was repealed in the Ugandan, Tanzanian and Kenya, there was a shift to smaller meshes which cropped immature tilapia and other large species and led to a collapse in the fishery.

The purpose, costs and benefits of fish introductions: with specific reference to the great lakes of Africa

A reduction in native fish stocks and the need to increase fish production for food, recreation, ornamental purposes and to control disease vectors and weeds have often justified and led to introduction of non-native fishes. Some of these introductions have been followed by benefitial and others by undesirable consequences. For instance introduction of the Nile perch Lates niloticus L. and several tilapiine species into lakes Victoria and Kyoga, and the clupeid Limnothrissa miodon into lakes Kariba and Kivu have resulted in increases in the quantity of fish available to the people around them. Predation by Nile perch and competition with introduced tilapiine species in lakes victoria and Kyoga have caused a severe decline and in some cases total disappearance of many of the native fish species.therefore the concern about fish introductions arises

Fish exploitation and changes in the fish community of Lake George, Uganda

Unlike Lake Victoria, the fisheries of Lake George have undergone gradual changes in the size and proportion of the major commercial fish species, the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus: cichlidae) in the last 40 years (1950-1989). The size decreased from an average weight of 900g in 1950 to 430g in 1989 while percentage contribution in commercial catches during the same period declined from 92% to 36%. The over all annual commercial catches though showed a steady increase from the period 1950 when the fishery was opened to intensive and controlled exploitation, consistently high catches were observed in the 1960s and 1970s followed by a general decline in the early 1980s to amore or less stable fishery in the late 1980s. These changes are attributed to increased fishing pressure especially on the nil tilapia and to increased use of smaller gill net mesh sizes lower than the recommended 127mm mesh. The changes in gill net mesh have brought O. leucostictus, acichlid, into commercial catches confirming that the 88.9mm mesh size nets are used by the commercial fishermen to harvest smaller fish species. The commercial catches are presently dominated by the piscivorous fishes,(over 60%) whose contribution was less than 10% during initial exploitation of the virgin fishery in 1950.The piscivorous fish are mainly caught using hooks and lines. The entire fishery is believed to be exploited close to the maximum. The above trends serve to show the impact of exploitation on fish species diversity. Quantitive and qualitative changes of the major fish species on lake George are due to exploitation pressure unlike Lake Victoria where it is a combination of both exploitations and impact of fish introductions. There has been no fish introduction in Lake George.