Identification and Characterization of Some Fish Breeding Areas in Lake Kivu, Bukavu Basin
Abstract
The majority of Lake Kivu’s fish species inhabit the littoral zone, which is regrettably a target of overfishing. In the present study, four bays (Lwacigoli, Nyakadaka, Cigezi and Kwamuzungu) were selected in the northern part of the Bukavu basin, between Birava isthmus, the Gombo and Ibinja islands, in order to evaluate their potential as fish breeding areas. The physico-chemical parameters of the water were measured by using the Hanna HI 9829 multiparameter probe and the Secchi disk was used for water Transparency. Experimental fishing sessions were carried from September to November 2022 using a beach seine net of 350 m long, 6 m wide and 5 mm in mesh size, between 6 pm and 5 am. Sample processing and data analysis continued in the laboratory. These sites were characterized on the basis of ecological variables including the nature of the bottom, the vegetation on the littoral zone, the flora, and the anthropogenic activities. Thus, in addition to the physico-chemistry of the water being conducive to fish breeding activity, the bottom of Lwacigoli bay is characterised by a rocky substrate, that of Nyakadaka by a rocky, gravelly and muddy substrate, those of Cigezi and Kwamuzungu are more dominated by mud, clay, some rocks and detritus, with some vegetation cover on the coastal part. More fingerlings were found at Kwamuzungu (611), followed by Nyakadaka and relatively lesser at Cigezi and Lwacigoli (400-465). In the four bays explored, the predominant size classes for Limnothrissa miodon and Lamprichthys tanganicanus are those between 50 - 80 mm and between 40 - 60 mm for Haplochromis spp. Therefore, sexual maturity stages I and II of the fishes represent 63.5% of specimens and those in stages III, IV and V represent 36.5%. According to the increasing fishing pressure in Lake Kivu, linked with the excessive use of fishing-gear and practices that threaten the survival of the fish species, identification and description of spawning areas should be continued in order to better protect its ichthyofauna. Fishing regulations are also essential for the sustainable management of the Lake Kivu.
References
Akonkwa B., Ahouansou Montcho S., Nshombo M. & Lalèyè P. (2017). Description de la pêche au lac Kivu. European Scientific Journal. 13(21) : 1857-7881. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2017.v13n21p269
Akonkwa B., Ahouansou Montcho S., Nshombo M. & Lalèyè P. (2016). Facteurs de conditions et relations poids-longueurs des poissons du lac Kivu. Afrique Science 12(4): 76-87.
Bartram J. and Ballance R. (1996). Water quality monitoring: A pratical guide to the design and implementation of freshwater quality studies and monitoring programme. Published on behalf of UNDP & WHO Chapman & Hall, London. 383 p. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003062110
Beadle, L.C. (1974). Inland waters of Tropical Africa: An introduction to Tropical Limnology. Longman Group limited 1974, London 206-213.
Capart A. (1960). Le Lac Kivu. Les naturalistes Belges, 41 (10) 397-417
Collart A. (1960). L’introduction du Stolothrissa tanganicae (Ndagala) au lac Kivu. Bull Agric Congo Belge 51(4) : 975-985.
Damas H. (1937). Recherches hydrobiologiques dans les lacs Kivu, Edouard, Albert, Expl. Parc Natn. Albert. Mission Damas 1935-1936, I, 128 p.
Fathi S., Nahar Harun A., Rambat S. and Tukiran N. A. (2018). Current Issues in Aquaculture: Lessons from Malaysia. Advanced Science Letters 24: 503-505.
Hecky R.E. and Kling H.J. (1987). Phytoplankton ecology of the great lakes in the rift valleys of Central Africa. Archive für Hydrobiologie, Beiheft Ergebnisse der Limnologie 25 :197- 228.
Hubbs C.L. and Lagler K.F. (1958). Fishes of the Great Lakes Region. 2nd. cd., Cranbrook Inst. Sci. Bull. (26): 213 p.
Isumbisho M., Sarmento H., Kaningini B., Micha J.C. (2006). Zooplankton of lake Kivu (East Africa): half a century after the Tanganyika sardine introduction. Journal of Plankton Research 28(10): 1-19.
Kaningini B. (1995). Etude de la croissance, de la reproduction et de l’exploitation de Limnothrissa miodon au lac Kivu, bassin de Bukavu, thèse de doctorat, Université Notre Dame de Namur, 168 p.
Kaningini M., Micha J.-Cl., Vandenhaute J., Platteau J.-P., Watongoka H., Melard C., Wilondja M. K. & Isumbisho M. (1999). Pêche du Sambaza au filet maillant dans le lac Kivu, Rapport final du Projet ONG/219/92/Zaïre. CERUKI-F.U.C.I.D.-U.N.E.C.E.D.-C.C.E, 187 p.
Kassambara A. (2020). Package ‘ggpubr’: 'ggplot2' Based Publication Ready Plots. L https://rpkgs.datanovia.com/ggpubr/. 155 p.
Marshall B.E. (1993). Biology of the African clupeid Limnothrissa miodon with reference to its small size in artificial lakes. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 3 :17-38.
Masilya M.P., Darchambeau F., Isumbisho M., Descy J-P (2011). Diet overlap between the newly introduced Lamprichthys tanganicanus and the Tanganyika sardine in Lake Kivu, Eastern Africa. Hydrobiologia 675:75–86. doi10.1007/s10750-011-0797-y.
Mbalassa M., Bagalwa M., Nshombo M. et Kateyo E. (2014). Assessment of physicochemical parameters in relation with fish ecology in Ishasha River end Lake
Edward, Albertine Rift Valley, East Africa. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 3, 230-244.
Millot G. (2009). Comprendre et réaliser les tests statistiques à l’aide de R manuel pour les débutants ; Ed. De Boeck Université, ISBN 978-2-8041-0179-4.14-170 pp.
Muvundja F.A, Natacha Pasche, Fred W.B. Bugenyi, Isumbisho, Beat Müller, Jean-Népomuscène Namugize, Päivi Rinta, Martin Schmid, Ruth Stierli, Alfred Wüest (2009). Balancing nutrient inputs to Lake Kivu. Journal of Great Lakes Research 35(3): 406-418 DOI:10.1016/j.jglr.2009.06.002
N’Dri O.R., Konan Y.A., Monney A.I., Kone T. (2020). Inventaire spécifique et caractéristiques de quelques frayères du lac de Buyo dans le Parc National de Taï (Sud-Ouest Côte d’Ivoire). Journal of Applied Biosciences 145: 14902 – 14913, ISSN 1997-5902, www.m.elewa.org/journals/
Plisnier P.D., Micha J.C., & Frank V. (1988). Biologie et exploitation des poissons du lac Ihema (Bassin Akagera, Rwanda) Presses universitaires de Namur, ISBN-139782870371558. 212p.
Sanderson E.W., Jaiteh M., Levy M.A., Redford K.H., Wannebo A.V., Woolmer G. (2002). The human, footprint and the last of the wild. BioScience 52: 891-904.
Snoeks J. (1994). The Haplochromis (Teleostei, Cichlidae) of Lake Kivu (East Africa), a taxonomy revision with notes on their ecology. Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale Tervuren, Belgique. Annales Sciences Zoologiques Vol. 270: 1-121.
Snoeks J., Kaningini B., Masilya M., Nyinawamwiza L. & Guillard J. (2012). Fishes in Lake Kivu: Diversity and Fisheries. In: Descy J.-P., Darchambeau F. & Schmid M. (Eds.), Lake Kivu-Limnology and biogeochemistry of a tropical great Lake. Aquat. Ecol., ser., Springer 5: 125-150.
Snoeks, J. (2004). The cichlid diversity of Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa: identification, distribution and taxonomy. Cichlid Press, 360 p.
Snoeks, J., De Vos, L., ThysVan den Audenaerde, D. (1997). The ichthyography of Lake Kivu. South African Journal of Science. Vol. 93, pp.579–584.
Tchangaboba K., Balagizi A., Matabaro L., Aleke L., Mulongaibalu M. & Muderhwa N. (2018). Caractérisation de certains sites reconnus comme zones de frai par les pêcheurs dans la zone littorale du lac Kivu : cas du bassin de Bukavu (Sud-Kivu, RD Congo). Annales des Sciences et des Sciences Appliquées, 4(4/4), 214-238.
Thys van Den Audenaerde, D.F.E, Coenen, E., Robben, J., & Vervoort, D. (1980). Fishes research on Lake Kivu. (Royal Africa Museum vertebrata Dept. B-1980 Tervuren).
R Core Team (2019). R: «A language and environment for statistical computing. » R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URL https://www.R-project.org/.
