Reproductive Biology of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Lake Chamo, Ethiopia

  • Buchale Shishitu Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
  • Gashaw Tesfaye National Fisheries and Aquatic Life Research Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • Atnafu W/yohans Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Arba Minch, Ethiopia

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to determine the breeding season, fecundity rate, size at firstmaturity and sex ratio of O. niloticus in Lake Chamo. Data (total length (TL), total weight (TW), sex, maturitystages and number of eggs) were collected. A total of 1,245 samples (968 females and 277 males) were collectedduring the sampling period (December 2019 to November 2020). The collected data were summarized usingdescriptive statistics (percentage, graphs, tables) and analyzed with the application of Microsoft Excel 2010 andSigma plot 13.0 Software. There was significant deviation in sex ratio (Females: Males) from hypothetical 1:1ratio (χ2 = 393.0; p<0.05). The mean fecundity was 1,138 eggs/ fish and it was positively correlated with TLand TW. The size at first sexual maturity (TL50) was 23.4 and 22.0 cm for females and males respectively. TheO. niloticus in Lake Chamo breeds throughout the year. The peak breeding season was observed from March toMay and August to November. It is recommendable to reduce commercial fishing of O. niloticus during the peakbreeding seasons in order to minimize the capture of breeding fish. The size at first maturity in the present studyfor both sexes was 23.6 cm which is too smaller than the earlier study (39.6 cm). This might be due to heavyfishing together with illegal fishing activities, fishing during the breeding season, breeding ground destructionby buffer zone agricultural practices around the lake. Therefore, appropriate fishery management tools such asclosing season during peak breeding, buffer zone conservation and mesh size regulation should be implementedfor sustainable fishery utilization in Lake Chamo.
Published
2021-12-29
How to Cite
Shishitu, B., Tesfaye, G., & W/yohans, A. (2021). Reproductive Biology of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Lake Chamo, Ethiopia. Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, 6(2). Retrieved from https://journals.bdu.edu.et/index.php/jaes/article/view/734
Issue
Vol 6 No 2 (2021)
Section
Articles
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