Growth rates of juvenile Nile perch, Lates niloticus L. in lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo

The growth rates of Nile perch, Lates niloticus L. of 20 cm to 40 cm total length were estimatedin lakes Victoria and Kyoga in 1991 and 1992 and Nabugabo in 1992 and 1993 by tagging. Fishgrew faster in Lake Kyoga (mean growth rate 28.7 ± 1.3 cm S.E. per year, N = 49) than in LakeVictoria (18.9 ± 1.4 cm per year, N = 20) and Lake Nabugabo (19.0 ± 0.7 cm per year, N = 43).There were significant differences in growth rates between the lakes (F2 109 = 24.037, P < 0.001).Growth rates in Lake Kyoga were significantly higher than those of lak'es Victoria and Nabugabo(p < 0.001) but those of lakes Victoria and Nabugabo were not significantly different from eachother (p = > 0.05). The faster growth rates in Lake Kyoga were attributed to improvement in foodsupply due to increases in stocks of haplochromine prey. Growth rates in Lake Kyoga were significantly higher, but those of lakes Victoria and Nabugabo were within the ranges of those reported in several native habitats of Nile perch.