Assessing Fish Populations Through Length–Weight Relationships and Condition Factors in Three Lakes of Nigeria
by
, , , , , , , , , and
Olumide Temitope Julius
1,2,*
,
Francesco Zangaro
1,2,3
,
Roberto Massaro
1,2
,
Francesca Marcucci
1,2,3,
Armando Cazzetta
1,2,
Franca Sangiorgio
1,2,4,
John Bunmi Olasunkanmi
5,
Valeria Specchia
1,3,
Oluwafemi Ojo Julius
6,
Ilaria Rosati
3,7,8,
Alberto Basset
1,3,7,8 and
Maurizio Pinna
1,2,3,4,7,9,*
1
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy
2
Research Centre for Fisheries and Aquaculture of Aquatina di Frigole, DiSTeBA, University of Salento, Via Negri, 73100 Lecce, Italy
3
National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
4
BioforIU Research Lab, DiSTeBA, University of Salento, Via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy
5
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ikole 370105, Ekiti, Nigeria
6
Department of Science Technology, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti 360231, Ekiti, Nigeria
7
LifeWatch Service Centre, LifeWatch Italy, Via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy
8
Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, National Research Council of Italy, 73100 Lecce, Italy
9
Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “Edoardo Caianiello”, National Research Council of Italy, 73100 Lecce, Italy
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Biology 2025, 14(6), 612; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14060612
Submission received: 16 April 2025
/
Revised: 8 May 2025
/
Accepted: 19 May 2025
/
Published: 27 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Change on Structural and Functional Characteristics of Freshwater Ecosystems and Its Implications for Their Resources’ Management)
Simple Summary
This study examined fish populations in three lakes in Nigeria (Ureje, Egbe, and Ero) to understand their growth patterns and overall health. Over 12 weeks, fish were collected from local fishermen and analyzed for their size, weight, and condition. Throughout the study period, the number of fish species varied slightly across the lakes, with Ero having the highest number. Most fish in Ero Lake showed a growth pattern indicating good environmental conditions, while fish from the other lakes showed mixed growth trends. The overall health of the fish, measured by their condition, ranged from poor to excellent, with Ero Lake generally having fish in better condition. However, no clear link was found between water quality and fish growth or condition. These findings provide valuable insights for conservation and sustainable management of fish populations in these lakes, helping to ensure their long-term health and availability for local communities.
Excerpt
Note: In lieu of an abstract, this is an excerpt from the first page.
Freshwater fisheries ecology encompasses the intricate interactions among fish species, their aquatic habitats, and human activities [...]
