PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE FISHING ACTIVITY ON BASELINE-3- SURVEY OF FISHERIES BIODIVERSITY RESOURCES OF LANDMARK UNIVERSITY DAM, OMU-ARAN, KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Post by: bankole
November 8, 2024
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SUBMITTED TO: THE LANDMARK UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT UNDER THE LMU DAM UTILIZATION PROJECT (SDG-14: LIFE BELOW WATER)

PREPARED BY: COMMITTEE ON LMU DAM UTILIZATION :Babatunde Taiwo ADESINA(Ph.D.), MNSAP

Executive Brief on the Baseline-3-Survey on Fisheries Biodiversity Resources on the LMU Dam by Two (2) Fishermen on 29^th June to 2nd July 2023

The survey was aimed at re-assessing the present status of fisheries biodiversity resources of the dam to estimate the fisheries potential of the dam for commercial exploitation as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the University community. The survey was carried out for 4-day by two (2) fishermen with the use of 4-fishing gears (4-gillnets) to assess data on the fisheries resources of the dam. The survey was carried with 4-gillnets of various mesh sizes as the fishing gears available with the efforts of 2-fishermen paddled one of the canoes for the fishing activity on the dam. Setting of the 4-gillnets fishing gears commenced on 29^th of June at 8:00am and the traps (gillnets) were inside the dam till Tuesday 2nd July before they were eventually removed by the 2-fishfolks after the final assessment. Fish samples were collected within 3hours of setting the 4-gillnets on Saturday.

A total number of one hundred and thirty-six (136) fish species belonging to 2 families, Cichlidae(tilapia) and Clariidae (catfish) were identified and total weight of eighteen kilogramme (18kg) was obtained from the assessment on the 2 families. The family of Cichlidae(tilapia):Tilapia zillii,(Red belly tilapia),Sarotherondon galilaeus( Mango tilapia) and Oreochromis niloticus(Nile tilapia) dominated the fisheries resources from the dam with 99.26%,and Clariidae (Catfish) identified with the guide as Clarias gariepinus with 0.73% approximately 1% of the catch during this baseline-3-survey.The weight of the fish species caught per day were: Day one(29^th June): 3kg(22fish), Day two(30^th June:6.5kg (51 fish), Day three (1^st July):6kg(39fish), and Day four(2^nd July): 2.5kg(24fish) from the landing sites.

However, one invertebrate fauna resource that was caught was a crustacean: freshwater crab (Potamonautes sidneyi). There were other signs of mussels and clams and other water snail when the net caught up with their shells. All the fish samples caught were identified with fish identification guides. Data on the fish species caught were subjected to statical analysis with frequency distribution of mean and percentages. Detail of this will be available in the final report to the University management. The baseline-3-survey also revealed that the dam was not over-fished, but there are signs of fishing by intruders with some abandoned fishing nets materials that could contributes to ghost fishing on the dam.

After the assessment of the current baseline-3-survey. The following challenges were observed and encountered by the 2-fishermen during the recent baseline-3-survey on the dam. These include the 4-gillnets fishing gears that were used are too weak and the gillnets tore inside water when it caught bigger catfish fish and other big fish from the dam. This was as are results of not using them regularly on the dam for fishing activity. Also, the 2 canoes were leaking with water entering them often as a result of not putting them to proper use for fishing purpose on the dam. However, repairs were carried out on the canoes with the application of coal tar to block the leakages of water after carpenter was called upon to nail those leaking spots. Despite these challenges, baseline-3-survey on the current status of fisheries biodiversity resources was carried out by the 2-fishermen on the dam from Saturday 29^th to Tuesday 2nd July.Some observations, suggestions and recommendations on how to improve on the increase in number of daily catch and possible catch of big fish trap life inside wire catch nets and the use Malian fish trap (Gura).

Therefore, there is the needs for the University to establish a Memoradum of Understanding (MOU) and come out with terms of Reference with the fishermen on the fishing regularly on the dam. This will be captured as PHASE 1 on the dam utilization programme for fishing activity. Also, the fishermen observed some poaching activity on the water body by the intruders. This was observed to continues on the dam with the evidences of some tore nets encountered during fishing operation for 4-day. The committee and fishermen also suggested conservation status on the dam by erecting under water cotton nets to barricade the side of LMU dam boundary, and the erection of formidable security post at the end of LMU boundary. This will be attended to as PHASE 2 on the dam utilization exercise.

On behalf our committee on the utilization of dam for fishing purpose, we appreciate commitment of university administration ably led by the Board of Regent Secretary (BOR), The Vice-Chancellor, Deputy-Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, DFS, HOA, CIA, DPPD and other stakeholders including transport unit for their supports that fast-tracked the Baseline-3-Survey on fisheries biodiversity resources on the dam. We also appreciate efforts of the 2-fishermen for honouring our request to take their time to come for the baseline-3-survey exercise on the dam.

Keywords: Dam, Biodiversity, Fishing gears, Cichlidae, Clariidae

Pictures of the Fauna and Fisheries Resources Caught on the Dam