FISH SPECIES DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE IN LAKE HAWASSA

BY: - ABDISA KASIM

ADVISOR: - TIGIST ASHAGRE

A SENIOR RESEARCH SUBMITTED TO DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY, COLLEGE

OF NATURAL AND COMPITUTIONAL SCIENCE HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, IN
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE BACHELOR
DEGREE IN BIOLOGY.

JUNE, 2017
HAWASSA, ETHIOPIA
Table of Contents
List of Tables........................................................................................................................................II
Acronyms............................................................................................................................................III
AKNOWLEDGEMENT...........................................................................................................................IV
Abstract:..............................................................................................................................................V
1. Introduction....................................................................................................................................1
1.1Background and justification of the study..........................................................................................1

1.2. Statement of the problem 2

1.3. Objective of the study.......................................................................................................................3
1.3.2 Specific objective........................................................................................................................3
1.3.3. Scope of the study.....................................................................................................................3
1.3.4. Significance of the study............................................................................................................3
2. Literature review..............................................................................................................................4
2.1. Importance of fish............................................................................................................................4
2.1.1Economic and nutritional value...................................................................................................4
2.1.2 Ecosystem –services value..........................................................................................................4
2.1.3 Scientific Value............................................................................................................................5
2.1.4 Fish in medicine........................................................................................................................5
2.Factors affecting fish distribution and abundance in Lakes..................................................................5
2.2.1Biotic and Abiotic factors affecting fish Communities.................................................................5
2.2.2 Biotic factors affecting fish communities....................................................................................5
2.2.3 Abiotic factors affecting fish communities..................................................................................6
2.2.4 Human Impact on Fish Community and Composition on lakes...................................................7
2.3. Major fish production in Lake Hawassa:...........................................................................................7
3. Materials and Method......................................................................................................................9
3.1 Description of the study area............................................................................................................9
3.2 Sampling Population........................................................................................................................10
3.3 sampling site....................................................................................................................................10
3.4 Sampling size And Sampling techniques.........................................................................................10
 3.5. Method of data collection..............................................................................................................10
3.6. Method of data analysis.................................................................................................................10
4. RESULT AND DISCUSSION...............................................................................................................11
4.1 Demographic characteristics of the respondents............................................................................11
4.2 Fish production and related information in Lake Hawassa..............................................................12
4.2.1 Catch per day............................................................................................................................12
4.2.2 Season of fish abundance.........................................................................................................12
4.2.3 Location of fish abundance.......................................................................................................13
4.3. Fish Species Diversity..................................................................................................................14
4.4 Types of fishing gear and Landing sites (Amoragedel and Tikurweha)............................................15
4.4.1 Fishing gear in two sites............................................................................................................16
5. DISCUSSION...................................................................................................................................17
6. CONCLUSION and Recommendation...............................................................................................18
6.1 CONCLUSION...................................................................................................................................18
6.2 Recommendation............................................................................................................................18
Reference...........................................................................................................................................19
Appendix...........................................................................................................................................22
List of Tables
Table1. The distribution of sex, ages, address and educational level…………….11

Table2. Catch per day……………………………………………………………………………………12

Table3. Season of fish abundance………………………………………………………………..13

Table4. Location of fish abundance……………………………………………………………..14

Table5. List of lake Hawassa fish species caught during the study……………….15

Table6. Fish gears and mesh sizes……………………………………………………………….17

List of figures

Figure1. Map of Lake Hawassa and Hawassa city………………………………………9

Acronyms
FAO: Food and agriculture organization

LFDP: Lake Fishery development project

AKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all I would like to thank almighty Allah for helping and guiding me throughout my life. And I
would like thanks all the cooperative offices that are contributed in my study and the SNNPR fishery
resource management office. And My Advisor Tigist Ashagre for her grateful approbation. Finally I
would like to thank my family.
Abstract:
The study was conducted on Lake Hawassa, one of the series Ethiopian rift valleys lakes. Objective of this
study was to asses’ abundance and distribution of fish species in Lake Hawassa .out of total population
25 fishermen were sampled by using random sampling technique and the data was collected from the
two landing sites (amora gedel and tikurweha) by interviewing fishermen’s to get reliable primary data.
Secondary data were collected from southern nation’s nationalities and people’s region fishery resource
management office. A total 3 fish species were identified in the study, among them Nile tilapia was the
most abundant fish species and the fish yield of the was decreased due to over- exploitation and in
efficient fishing gear.

Key words: Oreochromis Niloticus, Claries Garipenus, Abundance, Ethiopia, Hawassa,

1. Introduction

1.1Background and justification of the study

Conservation of communities implies knowledge of the number and distribution of species of

any particular area. As habitat degradation continues on a global scale, maintenance of species
richness has become a central issue of conservation biology. This is particularly the case with
the fish fauna of in land waters. Habitat alteration and destruction is generally the major
cause of most extinctions of freshwater fishes (Thomas, 1994; Leveque et al., 2008).Fish
communities differ per water body, hence site-specific management is important in fishery
biology and fish community conservation. In the past fishery biologists and managers,
particularly those working in tropical countries, traditionally have tended to consider fish in
isolation, as a natural renewable resource, rather than as an integral component of the
aquatic ecosystem interacting with other components of the system (Leveque, 1995). this
Attitude has led to various ecological disasters; therefore, a better understanding of the role
of fish diversity in the functioning of ecosystems should be a precondition Before manipulation
of African inland waters is undertaken (Thomas,1994). In the classical Liminological approach, it
was usual to regard freshwater ecosystems as operating in a physical-chemical environment
which conditions the food Chain from primary producers to top predators (LcCren and Lowe-
McConnel, 1980; Kalff, 2002).
In Ethiopia the rate of degradation of the environment, mainly by deforestation and
overgrazing of grasslands by cattle, is very high (Zinabu, 2002) and leads to approximately 1.5
billion tons of soil lost every year from the highlands (Teferra, 1994).This has already resulted in
a decrease in biodiversity of the fish fauna in the different drainage basins and the Rift Valley
Lakes.

The fish communities in Ethiopian fresh water systems vary according to the river
Basin. Nile tilapia, (Oreochromisniloticus), African catfish. (Clariasgariepinus), are
distributed all over the country. In the Omo and Baro rivers the Nile perch, Latesniloticus,
is present. The Omo-Gibe basin connects to Lake Turkana and the Baro-Akobo basin
connects to the White Nile. In two Rift Valley lakes, Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo, Nile
perch is exploited.
Comparatively Lake Awassa is one of the most thoroughly studied lakes in Ethiopia. Many
investigators have studied different aspects of the lake beginning long ago.( Elizabeth and
Amha 1994) worked on phytoplankton and identified a total of 100 species where green
algae (48%) and blue green (30%) were the dominant taxa. Benthic organisms of Lake Awassa
were studied by (Tilahun and Harrison 1989). Accordingly Nematoda, Ostracoda and
Chironomidae were some of the groups identified.
In Lake Hawassa, fishing efforts have Increased by fivefold and landings by nearly tenfold
since the last two decades (LFDP, 1993, 1997). Among the three commercially exploited
species in the lake (Tilapia, Catfish and Labeobarbus), Tilapia yield accounts for about 85% by
weight of the total annual landings. As a result, the Tilapia stock has already shown signs of
over-fishing (LFDP, 1998). However, the impact of increased fishing pressure on the
ecosystem has not been adequately examined as the components of ecosystem are
inextricably linked.

The fish fauna of Lake Hawassa consists of about six species. These are Oreochromis niloticus,
Labeobarbus intermidius, L.amphigrama, Aplochelichthys sp., Clarias gariepinus and Garra
species (demeke, 1996). According to (Seyoum and Fernando 1991), the dominant zooplankton
species are Mesocyclopsaequatorialis, Thermocyclopsconsimilis, Diaphanosomaexcisum, and
Brachionus and Keratella. The dominant phytoplankton species include Lyngbyanyassae,
Botryococcusbraunii and Microcystis (Elizabeth and Amha, 1994). The littoral discovered by
an extensive belt of submergent and emergent rooted vegetation which extends about
150 m offshore and up to 4m depth (Tudorancea et al. 1988).

1.2. Statement of the problem

Global Ocean and inland water bodies are suffering from excessive Over-fishing, exerted by an
increasing demand of the population. This strong demand, which was not controlled through
appropriate Management of fishing capacities, had led to a generalized fleet over-capacity and
to overfishing, highlighted by declining catches worldwide. In 2007, most of stocks were either,
overexploited or depleted and thus yielding less than their maximum potential owing to excess
fishing pressure. The general view seems to be that most of Ethiopian lakes are also heavily
exploited. In the past few years, Lake Hawassa has been clearly over fished. Production peaked
between 1992 to 1994 at around 900 tons per year (LFDP,1997). However, after a decade it is
only just over half that figure while effort has not declined by nearly as much. This proves that
the lake was over fished in the past years. The impact of this alarming rate of fishing pressure is
further worsened because of the disproportionate exploitation of the fish species in Lake
Hawassa.
1.3. Objective of the study
1.3.1 General objective

The overall objective of this research is to asses’ abundance and distribution of fish species in
the lake Hawassa.

1.3.2 Specific objective

To review the existing status of fish yield of Lake Hawassa.

To asses distribution of fishes at different site and fishing effort in lake Hawassa

1.3.3. Scope of the study

In content, this study will focus on fish distribution and abundance on Lake Hawassa.

1.3.4. Significance of the study

This study will use for fishermen and corporation that are incorporated to this study to get
better understanding and reliable information.
2. Literature review

2.1. Importance of fish

A fish is any member of a group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic craniate
animals that lack limbs with digits. They form a sister group to tunicates, together forming the
Olfacters. Are of major economic and nutritional, ecosystem- services, scientific value (Baran et
al., 2007)

2.1.1Economic and nutritional value

Today, fishing remains the largest extractive use of wild life in the world. In 2010 the annual
capture combining both wild capture and aquaculture was 149 million tones (FAO, 2012).

About 94% of all freshwater fisheries occur in developing countries (FAO, 2007).They provide
food and a livelihood for millions of the world’s poorest people and also contribute to the
overall economic wellbeing by means of export commodity trade, tourism and recreation (world
fish center, 2002).In the Mekong river basin alone some 55.3 million people depend on
freshwater fish for nutrition and livelihoods with an estimated average fish consumption of 56.6
kg/person/year (Baran et al., 2007).

There are serious threats to this valuable resource with most wild fisheries near maximum
sustainable exploitation levels(Delgado et al.,2003).Fishing provides a lasting vestige of utilizing
the resources of a global commons which are often part of maintaining traditional and cultural
customs (Clausen and York,2008).

2.1.2 Ecosystem –services value

It is estimated that the global values of ecosystem goods (e.g. fish as food and fresh water to
drink), ecosystem regulation (e.g. creation of climate and rain the hydrological cycle), and
cultural considerations (e.g. Recreation), yields a value measured in trillions of dollars (Reid et
al., 2013).
2.1.3 Scientific Value
Due to the size and abundance of fish they are easily sampled research objects that provide
information crucial for management and our understanding of freshwater ecosystem (Holmlund
and Hammer, 1999). They are excellent research models in areas such as phylogenetics,
evolutionary biography and ecology. Due to the fact that the African cichlid fish radiations are
the most diverse extant animal radiations, they provide a unique system to test predictions of
speciation and adoptive radiation theory (Seehausen, 2006).
The present fish fauna is living witness to climatic changes in the past, a fact that gives us
information about past climate. For example the distribution of arctic char (salvelinusalpinus) in
Scandinavian lakes reveals a climatic pattern of a maximum water temperature of 16 from the
most recent glaciation period 10,000 years ago to today (Holmlund and Hammer, 1999).

2.1.4 Fish in medicine

Fish are used in management to mitigate vector borne diseases like Schistosomiasis and
malaria. Due to bioaccumulation, predatory species have also been used as sentinels for the
presence of toxic chemicals in water ways (Holmlund and Hammer, 1999). Perhaps because of
their fecundity, small size, and economical maintenance and use, fish models are becoming well
established in many laboratories. In fact, it is said that the facility that does not house at least
one colony of zebrafish,medaka ,or other fish species is probably not at the forefront of
biomedical research (McHugh,2003).

2. Factors affecting fish distribution and abundance in Lakes

2.2.1Biotic and Abiotic factors affecting fish Communities

The distribution, occurrence, diversity and composition of fish communities are strongly
determined by a combination of abiotic and biotic factors. Research to clarify the dynamics of
fish communities has generally focused on either of these. Both factors may act jointly in
structuring fish populations and communities (Peres-Neto and Pedro 2004).

2.2.2 Biotic factors affecting fish communities

2.2.2.1 Predation
Predation is a major determinant of ecological local patterns in fresh water fish communities.
Direct and indirect effects of predation influence a wide variety of individuals, population and
community patterns, such as habitat selection, size distribution and species diversity (Wang and
Kanehl 2003).

Experimental studies indicate that habitat use by small stream fish is commonly constrained by
risks associated with nearby to large predatory fish and others. Predation risk is also a major
component in predicting the distribution of prey fish among available habitats. Under
experimental conditions, potential prey fish typically respond to the presence of predatory fish
by restricting use to stream habitats that are shallow or offer structural cover (Winemiller
KO1989).

2.2.2.2 Competition
Although there is no consensus regarding the role of interspecific competition in structuring
stream fish communities, many literatures associated with resource partitioning among fishes
suggest that competition may play an important role in the local organization of communities
(Allen JD 2004).Most studies are based on field observations, and many suggest that niche
segregation rather than competitive exclusion is the predominant outcome resulting from
competitive interactions. Although there are few studies that compare the importance of
different resource axes in separating species, habitat segregation appears to be the most
prevalent resource-partitioning mechanism identified for lake and stream fishes (Grossman and
Ratajczak 1998). However, most observational studies do not test directly whether competition
is the most plausible mechanism responsible for the patterns observed or whether other
uncontrolled factors could give rise to similar results. For example, allopatric speciation with
posterior contact can generate patterns equivalent to the competition hypothesis because of
differential adaptation to distinct habitats (Wiley and Mayden 1985).

2.2.3 Abiotic factors affecting fish communities

Biotic factors, predation or competition, show comparable effects on the fish communities in
both lake and stream/river systems. However, the abiotic influences in lakes and streams are
quite different in their relative importance in determining the fish community composition.
Many of the factors in lakes show variation principally in a vertical orientation whereas stream
systems exhibit them in longitudinal arrangements, often semi replicated within pool–riffle
pairings along the length of each stream . Abiotic factors such as conductivity and pH are
important factor for in fish community characteristics. It is suggested that abiotic factors affect
fish abundance mainly by their effects on other species performance, particularly roach [66]. In
general, the abiotic components of both systems can be divided into physical and chemical
factors (Magnuson, Crowder and Medvick 1979).
2.2.3.1 Physical factors
The chemical characteristics of water combined with the physical features of the lake channel
influence the presence or absence of particular aquatic organisms in a lake. Habitat features
affect the species distribution at different spatial scales. For example, fish species distribution in
a stream reach is affected by climate on a regional scale, channel gradient on a local scale, and
particle size of substrate at a very small local scale. Other important factors such as lake
meandering, steepness of banks, riparian vegetation, and variability of lake depth affect the
habitat for fish in the lake. Not only does stream habitat have to be suitable for a particular
species, it also has to support other biotas that are prey for the species (Geenwood, Harding,
Niyogy and MacIntosh 2012).

2.2.4 Human Impact on Fish Community and Composition on lakes

2.2.4.1 Effects of land use on lake fish ecology

Land use, including agriculture, forest harvesting, and urbanization, can have profound impacts
on receiving water bodies (Booth, 2005).

2.2.4.2 Effects of climate changes

Climate change affects fish populations through its influence on physical environmental factors
such as water chemistry and physical limnology. Warmer water contains less dissolved oxygen
than colder water. Since fish metabolism increases with elevated water temperature, climate
change will likely result in increased oxygen demand and reduced supply. Higher temperatures
will tend to increase duration and strength of thermal stratification in temperate zones (Meffe
and AL Sheldon 1988).

2.2.4.3 Effects of Introduction of Exotic Spices

Competition for food resources and habitat between native and introduced fish may result in
reduced growth, survival and reproductive potential of native stocks. If introduced fish
successfully occupy habitat and use resources that would otherwise be used by native fish then,
over time, the characteristics and contribution of the native stocks may change. This issue of
competition for food, and space, with both conspecifics and other species may be particularly
problematic when unnaturally high densities of fish are released in restricted areas. This could
potentially be realized within the native stock in terms of overall size of the spawning stock, or
the size or age at first maturity of the native fish. Furthermore, the increased energetic costs
resulting from competition for food and territory may result in reduced growth and
reproductive capacity of native stocks. The repeated injection of fish into fisheries negates the
effects of mortality (natural and fishery), and could potentially minimize the chances of native
fish maturing and occupying these niches. Ultimately, this has the potential to impact
negatively on the spawning stocks (Menge and Sutherland 1987).

2.3. Major fish production in Lake Hawassa:

Lake Hawassa is productive and one of the most fished lakes in the country. It is rich in
phytoplankton and zooplankton community that support large populations of different fish
species. The most important commercial species is tilapia (Oreochromisniloticus), followed by
catfish (Clariasgariepinus) and barbus (Barbusintermedius) that account to the fishery of the
lake. Of these, tilapia constitutes about 90% of the total annual production, while Catfish and
Barbus contribute only about 7% and 2-3%, respectively. Nile Tilapia and Barbus are caught
exclusively by gill nets while Catfish is caught both by gill nets and a long lines. The other three
species are notfished because of their small size and these include, Aplocheilchthysantinori and
Garaspp.there are two groups of fishermen, i.e., cooperative member fishermen who operate
at the southern side of the lake and another group of fishermen that operate at the northern
side of the lake bounding the Oromia region. The first group of fishermen has a longtime of
fishing on the lake since fishery has started to establish in the lake some four decades ago
(LFDP, 1997).
3. Materials and Method.

3.1 Description of the study area

Lake Hawassa is the smallest of the eight lakes in the Rift valley of Ethiopia. It is Located in the
South nations nationalities and people republic. Bordering the Easter side of Hawassa city,
which is located 275 km south of The Capital City of Ethiopia. Geographically, the lake lies
between 6°33’-7°33’ N and 38°22’-38°29’ E at an altitude of 1680 ma.s.l. The lake has a surface
area of 90 km2, with a mean depth of 11 m. There is no surface out flow and It has one in flow
river called TikurWeha River (Teferra, 1994).
3.2 Sampling Population
The total population size of this research was 366 out of this 19 were female and 347 were
male. Both fishermen and cooperative were the sampling populations.

3.3 sampling site

The data was collected from two sites, Amoragedel and Tikurweha.

3.4 Sampling size And Sampling techniques

25 fishermen were selected from the total population using random sampling technique.
Interviews were prepared to 25 fishermen’s. Among 15 respondents 1o will be male and 5
will be female were from amora gedel site. And 10 respondents 5 were male and 5 were
female from tekur weha site.

3.5. Method of data collection

The data were collected from the two landing sites called known as Amoragedel and
tikurweha. The data was mainly constitutes information on the fish species in the lake that
are useful to assess and estimate the fish yield and the fishing effort. More over the study
used field observation and interview `25 fisheries and one cooperative to get reliable primary
data (information) and secondary data from fishery resource management office.

Specifically the basic information collected included i) The length and compositions of fishes
caught by the fisheries, ii) Total fish yield, iii) Fishing effort expanded.

3.6. Method of data analysis

After necessary data were collected from different sources, data were analyzed for both
quantitative and qualitative information using excel sheet and were represented in the form of
tables.
4. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Demographic characteristics of the respondents

Demographic characteristics of the respondents in Lake Hawassa. Data presented in (table1)
showed that results of selected demographic characteristics of the respondents. In the present
study out of 25 respondents 15(60%) were males and 10(40%) were female. With regard to
respondents job all are fishermen’s (100%). Out of 25 respondents 10 respondents were age
from 31-40(40%), 8 were from 41-50(32%) and 7 were from 51-60(28%). 15 fishermen’s live in
Hawassa (60%) and 10 fishermen’s live in tikurweha (40%). The educational status of the
respondents were; among respondents 9 were from grade 4-8(36%), 11 were from grade 9-
10(44%) and 5 were from grade 11-12(20%).

Table1. The distribution of Sex, Ages, Job, Address and Educational level.

Items Alternatives Number of Percentage

Sex Male 15 60%
Female 10 40%
Total 25 100%
Age 30-40 10 40%
41-50 8 32%
51-60 7 28%
Total 25 100%
Job Fishermen 25 100%
Other job - -
Total 25 100%
Address Hawassa 15 60%
Tikurweha 10 40%
Total 25 100%
Educational level 4-8 9 36%
9-10 11 44%
11-12 5 20%
T0tal 25 100%
4.2 Fish production and related information in Lake Hawassa
Fish production in Lake Hawassa was illustrated based on fishermen’s status on
two sites.

4.2.1 Catch per day

Catch per day was collected from the fishermen’s from two sites 8 fishermen’s caught50-
70(66.6%) , 3 fishermen’s caught 71-90 (20%) and 4 of them caught 91-100(26.6%) fishes from
amora gedel. And 5 fishermen’s caught 100-120(50%),3 fishermen’s caught 150-180 (30%) and
2 fishermen’s caught 220-220(20%) from tikurweha site.

Table2. Illustrates catch per day

Site Catch per day Number of Percentage (%)

respondents
(production (No/Net)

Amora Gedel 50-70 8 66.6

71-90 3 20

91-100 4 26.6

Tikurweha 100-120 5 50

150-180 3 30

200-220 2 20

4.2.2 Season of fish abundance

The season of fish abundance were recorded from two sites. 10 fishermen’s (66.6%) from
amora gedel told that fishes are abundance in winter season and 5 fishermen’s (33.3%) told
that fishes are abundant in autumn season. And from tikurweha site 7 fishermen’s (70%) told
that abundance of fish is more in winter season and 3 fishermen’s (30%) told fishes are more
abundance in autumn. None of the fishermen’s told that in summer and fishes are not in
abundance level.
Table 3 illustrates Season of fish abundance

Site Season of fish Number of Percentage (%)

abundance respondents

Amora gedel Summer - -

Winter 10 66.6

Autumn 5 33.3

Spring - -

Tikurweha Summer - -

Winter 7 70

Autumn 3 30

Spring - -

4.2.3 Location of fish abundance

The location of fish abundance were observed during the study from the two sites include, from
fishermen’s that are landed in amora gedel, 9 fishermen’s(60%) told that fishes are more
abundant in the middle, 6 fishermen’s(40%) also told that fishes are more abundant in pelagic
area and fishermen’s in tikurweha among them 8 fishermen’s (80%) told that fishes are more
abundant in middle and 2 fishermen’s (20%) also told that fishes are in abundance level in
pelagic area.

Table 4 illustrates location of fish abundance

Site Location of fish Number of Percentage (%)

 abundance respondents

Amora gedel Shore line - -

Middle 9 60

Pelagic 6 40

Tikurweha Shore line - -

Middle 8 80

Pelagic 2 20

From the Respondents interviewed 15 fishermen’s from amora gedel and 10 fishermen’s from
tikurweha told that the fish abundance decreased due to over- exploitation and illegal fishing
method and gear.

4.3. Fish Species Diversity

Three different species of three fish families were caught during the sampling (Table 5). Of the
Three species collected, Labeobarbus Amphigrama and Garraspecies were not recorded in the
in study site.

Both sites had low species diversities on a Shannon-Weaver diversity scale of one to six with
one representing an area with very low species diversity and six representing an area with high
species diversity.

Table 5: List of Lake Hawassa Fish Species caught during the study site.

Family Scientific Name Common Name %

Cichlidae Oreochromis niloticus Nile Tilapia 90

Claridae Clarias gariepinus African catfish 7

Cyprinidae Labeobarbus intermidius Barbus 2-3

4.4 Types of fishing gear and Landing sites (Amoragedel and Tikurweha)
Fishermen in Lake Hawassa at amoragedel site are fishing by setting their gill net , hook and line
and single hooks through all 9km deep of the lake. Locally made timber boats are used as
fishing vessels. Sometimes one boat is shared among 1-3 fisheries.

Fishermen in the northern part of the Lake Hawassa (Tikurweha site) are fishing by setting their
gill nets and along lines through all the 11km shore line going deep into the off-shores of the
lake.

However, the fish are landed at three landing sites called Haro Habas (Bishan Guracha town),
Laga Giro ( Alge Rima kebele of shala ) and Haro chalalaka (Kore Borojota Kebele of
Shashamene) , with the former two being the major landing sites.

Though, all the three landing sites are accessible to road and market, Haro Habas I more
suitable for fish marketing being located near main road in Bishan Guracha Town at the
entrance of Hawassa city. This landing site accommodated relatively higher number of
fishermen, fishing gears and fish processors among the landing site in Tikurweha site, having a
processing shade and potential customer serving garden. Generally, Haro Habas is the most
strategic and attractive site to develop the required fishing activity.

The Laga Giro landing site, located at 6km from Bishan- guracha to the west is also popular fish
landing site from where the fish is distributed to Shashamane, Bishan Guracha and Hawasssa
towns. There was no processing shade on this site , rather the fish was sold whole or partially
processed on a plastic sheet after which the traders take the fish by motor bicycles, horse carts
or cars in the morning.

The Haro Chalalaka landing site in Kore Borojota kebele, about mid- way between Haro Habas
and Laga Giro, is relatively lower fish landing site. There was the fourth landing site at Dalatti
where many of the former fishermen at the site shifted to Haro Habas other adjacent sites
because of the theft on fishing nets.
All the landing sites have no fish store, no net mending shades, no boat repairing site and no
maintenance facilities.

4.4.1 Fishing gear in two sites

From the study of the two sites the fishing gear has several differences in mesh size in cm. In
Amoragedel site A total of 54 boats have operated (50 boats for gill net, 4 boats for line and
hooks, Where as in Tikurweha A total of 46 operating boats (40 boats for gill net,6 boats for
long line) were found at the landing sit during the study. Each of the boats was operated by two
crews who are carrying about 8 gill net on average.

Table 6 Fishing gears and mesh sizes

Landing site Gear type used , their mesh sizes and quantity observed

Gill nets (mesh size in cm from5-12); quantity in 50m Long line, hook size;
quantity

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total 11 12 Total

Haro Habas 48 55 36 38 38 38 34 23 310 0 1350 1350

Haro Chalalaka 0 0 2 2 6 10 0 0 20 0 0 0

Laga Giro 5 53 13 70 31 67 4 63 306 500 0 500

Amoragedel 55 10 7 4 1 0 0 0 77 10 0 10

Total 108 108 58 114 76 115 38 86 713 510 1350 1860

5. DISCUSSION
Fish species diversity and production
A total of 3 fish species from 2 family, such as Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), African cat
fish (Claries gariepinus), Barbus (labeo barbus intermidius) were collected and identified in lake
Hawassa from both sites (Table5). The fish fauna of Lake Hawassa consists of six species,
aplocheity, Garra species, L. Amphigrama, Nile tilapia, African catfish and Barbus species
(Demeke, 1996). This finding has some similarity with the author but there is some difference in
abundance of fish species and diversity that might be in environmental factor and over
exploitation. Tilapia constitutes about 90% of the total production, while Catfish and Barbus
contribute only about 7% and 2-3%, respectively of the total annual production. Tilapia and
Barbus was caught exclusively by gill nets while Catfish is caught both by gill nets and also long
lines. The other three species was not fished because of their small size and these include
Barbuspaludinosis, Aplocheilchthysantinori and Garra spp. Commercial fish Nile tilapia
Constitute 85-90%, While catfish and barbus constitutes 6% and 2-4% barbus (LFDP,1997).

Fish production in Lake Hawassa from the two sites illustrates catch per day. The annual
catches per day from the two sites were varied 8 fishermen’s from amora gedel site caught 50-
70 fishes and 5 fishermen’s from tikurweha caught 100-120 fishes (Table2). This result causes
the distribution of fish species from the two sites to be varied. The total annual fishes catch per
day during the study was on average150 from the two sites. The total annual catch per day in
Lake Hawassa in 2004 was 200 fishes catch per day (Yosef, unpublished data). The current catch
was two-third of the previous.

Fishing gear and gill net in the study area were illustrated as (Table6). A total of 54 boats from
amora gedel (50 boats for gill net, 4 boats for line and hooks) and 46 boats were operated from
tikurweha (40 boats for gill net, 6 boats for line and hooks). In amora gedel for gill net from 5cm
mesh size 55 fishes caught, and from 9 of mesh size 1 fish was caught. This results that the
fishes that are landing in amora gedel were small sized fish. A total number of fish caught in
amora gedel by using gill net was 77.where as in tikurweha from 3 landing sites, in Haro Habas
from 5cm mesh size 48 fishes were caught and in Haro chalalaka from 5cm no fish caught.
These results in Haro chalalaka large sized fish were caught. And in Laga Giro 5 fish species
caught in 5cm mesh size. A total of annual fish caught using gill net in tikurweha was 636. A
total annual catch from two sites on average was 713. A total fish caught from 5-8cm mesh size
was 350 and from 14-16 mesh size 750 fishes was caught. A total annual fish caught per gill net
was 7758 (February- may 2004, Yosef UN published data).
6. CONCLUSION and Recommendation

6.1 CONCLUSION
Three fish species were collected and identified in Lake Hawassa. The fish yield of Lake Hawassa
was decreased due to over- exploitation. This study has tried to address objectives as: the
existing fishing activities of the Lake are reviewed and found out that, it kept the status of Lake
Hawassa biologically as well as economically inefficient.

6.2 Recommendation
In order to manage the fish resource, harvesting at the level of its MSY could be considered as
wise decision. This could be possibly happened by enhancing revenue or reducing the cost of
production otherwise it might need subsidy. However, according to the situation of the country
and from the long run impact on dependency, subsidizing the fishery might not be appropriate
measure. Therefore, (fishermen cooperatives with the cooperation of government cooperatives
offices should reduce their cost by directly import net making twine in order to decrease the
margin by retailer, as it is the major cost on the fishery sector). (Reduction of cost will increase
the Yield level to its maximum sustainable yield by increasing fishing effort level).
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Appendix

Questionnaires for the fish catchers

I- General Background of the respondent

1 Sex- male------- ------------

2Age……………………..Years
3 Job…………………………
4Address…………………….
5LevelofEducation……………………….
6 In Hawassa city I lived for……………….Years

Questionnaires based on Research Title

1) How many types of fishes are present in the lake?

2) Among all species which are commercially used as food?

3) How much fish do you catch per day (kg)? what do you do with it? Eat(%), sell(%)? If
sell where do you sell it? When?
4) What kind of fishing or collection of water life is prohibited? By whom? Why?
5) Does this fishing effort is significant?
6) On what season does fishes are abundant? And why?
7) From now and past know knowledge of fish catching does the Abundance and
distribution of fishes increase Or decrease?
8) In what of location of the lake does fishes are present mostly abundant?