The relationship between boat size and fish catches in the gillnet fishery of Lake Victoria
The number and size composition of gillnets, fishing grounds and thequantity and composition offish catches were related to the size of fishing boat. Theoverall number of gillnets per boat increased from 20.9 ± 2.3 nets in 5-6 m long boatsto 88.6 ± 11.8 nets in 11-12 m long boats. The proportion of large mesh sizes, >127mm, also increased from 40.4% in 5-6 m long boats to 100% in boats >10 m long. Themajority of large boats, 2:8.0 m long, fished in offshore waters targeting Nile perch,Lates niloticus (L.). Boats <8.0 m long fished inshore principally for Nile tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus (L.), although Nile perch was also a major component ofthecatch. Nile tilapia and other fish contributed 31.0-59.9% ofthe catch by weight. Meancatch rates increased from 12.6 ± 1.9 kg in 5-6 m long boats to 78.2 ± 16.4 kg in 1112m long boats. Most Nile perch landed from boats <8.0 m long were <50 cm TL,smaller than the legal minimum harvest size, whereas <17% of Nile perch landed fromlarger boats were <50 cm TL. Fish catch is related to the size of boat and this shouldbe considered when formulating management guidelines of the lake's fishery.Promotion of large fishing boats 2:8.0 m and restrictions on the number of boats and/or mesh size of gillnets of smaller boats could increase ecological and socio-economic benefits.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | monograph biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Fisheries Resources Research Institute (FIRRI)
1997
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| Subjects: | Fisheries, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/34490 |
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