Abstract:
A study of life history traits and growth of Nile perch, Lates niloticus L. in northern Lake Victoria (Uganda) was undertaken between 2006 and 2008 with a major aim of providing information that could facilitate the development of predictive sustainable management strategies for Nile perch. Comparisons were drawn from historical records collected from earlier studies. From experimental gill-netting conducted in the shallow nearshore waters of Hannington Bay, Thruston Bay, and Napoleon Gulf, considerable changes in fish taxa richness and abundance of Lake Victoria were discerned and appeared to be associated with the increase in fishing effort targeting Nile perch, coupled with the continuous decline in the Nile perch catches in the commercial fishery.