Growth, reproduction and population structure of Diplotaxodon limnothrissa in the southeast arm of Lake Malawi

Kanyerere, Geoffrey Z; Weyl, Olaf L F; Booth, Anthony J

Title: Growth, reproduction and population structure of Diplotaxodon limnothrissa in the southeast arm of Lake Malawi
Creator: Kanyerere, Geoffrey Z
Creator: Weyl, Olaf L F
Creator: Booth, Anthony J
Date Issued: 2010
Date: 2010
Type: text
Type: article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124583
Identifier: vital:35633
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.2989/16085910509503832
Description: With a surface area of ca 28 800km2, Lake Malawi (9°30’S–14°30’S) is the second largest of the African Rift Valley lakes, supporting at least 500, and possibly 2 000, fish species (Turner 1995). The ichthyofauna is dominated by haplochomine cichlids, most of which are confined to the demersal and littoral zones. As a result of over-fishing, the abundance of many of these species has declined (Turner 1994a, 1995, Bulirani et al. 1999, Allison et al. 2002). In contrast, the lake’s offshore fish stocks are considered to be unexploited or only lightly exploited (Thompson and Allison 1997, Turner et al. 2000) and the redirection of fishing effort to these stocks is a high priority (Thompson and Allison 1997, Turner et al. 2000, Allison et al. 2002). Consequently, the Malawi government is currently collaborating with the African Development Bank to develop the deepwater/ offshore fishery in order to increase yields by an estimated 11 000 tons (MC Banda, National Research co-ordinator, pers. comm.). The most abundant cichlid species in the pelagic zone is the small (<210mm TL) zooplanktivorous Diplotaxodon limnothrissa (Turner 1994, Thompson and Allison 1997). It has been recorded throughout the lake at depths ranging from 20 metres down to the anoxic zone at ca 220 metres (Turner 1994b, Thompson et al. 1996, Duponchelle et al. 2000a) and it makes up ca 52% to the total fish biomass (Thompson and Allison 1997). Diplotaxodon limnothrissa will therefore be a major target species in the pelagic fishery, and already comprises in excess of 50% of the mid-water trawl fishery in the southeast arm (SEA) of the lake (Turner 1996).
Format: 9 pages
Format: pdf
Language: English
Relation: African Journal of Aquatic Science
Relation: Kanyerere, G.Z., Weyl, O.L. and Booth, A.J., 2005. Growth, reproduction and population structure of Diplotaxodon limnothrissa in the southeast arm of Lake Malawi. African Journal of Aquatic Science, 30(1), pp.37-44
Relation: African Journal of Aquatic Science volume 30 number 1 37 44 2010 1608-5914
Rights: African Journal of Aquatic Science
Rights: Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Taylor & Francis Online Terms and Conditions Statement (https://www.tandfonline.com/terms-and-conditions)

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Weyl, Olaf L F (Prof)

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RU Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science

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