The history of fish communities, biodiversity and environment of Lake Victoria and the lessons learnt
The first fishery survey of Lake Victoria was conductedbetween 1927 and 1928 (Graham 1929). Atthat time,the lake had a diverse fish fauna and the fishery wasdominated by two endemic tilapiine cichlids;Oreochromis esculentus (Graham 1929) and O.variabilis (Boulenger 1906). There were a number ofother species such as Protopterus aethiopicus Heckel1851, Bagrus docmac (Forsk.) 1775, Clarias gariepinus(Burchell), Barbus species, mormyrids, Synodontis spp,Schilbe intermedius (Linn.) 1762 and Rastrineobolaargentea Pellegrin, 1904 that were also abundant inthe lake most of which made a significant contribution tothe fishery (Graham 1929, Worthington 1929, 1932,Kudhongania & Cordone 1974). Haplochromine cichlidswere represented by at least 300 species more than99% of them endemic (Greenwood, 1974; Witte et al.,1992 a & b). The fishery of Lake Victoria was similar tothat of lakes Kyoga and Nabugabo (Worthington 1929;Trewavas 1933; Greenwood 1965, 1966; Beadle 1962,1981).There were also important fisheries on the inflowing rivers of Lake Victoria, the most important of which were Labeo victorianus and Barbus altianalis (Cadwallader 1965). The small sized species notably Rastrineobola argenteaand haplochromines cichlids were not originally commercially exploited.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | book_section biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI)
2004
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| Subjects: | Fisheries, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/35180 |
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