Seasonal changes in the pelagic catch of two clupeid zooplanktivores in relation to the abundance of copepod zooplankton in the northern end of Lake Tanganyika

Catches of clupeid fish were recorded twice a week from February 2007 to May 2008 in the northern end of Lake Tanganyika, and allocated to species (Stolothrissa tanganicae and Limnothrissa miodon) according to representative catch samples from ten artisanal lift-net fishing units. In each sample, clupeids were measured and weighed for length frequency analysis. Age was estimated from length growth curves based on otolith weight. Copepod zooplankton was sampled twice a month from February 2007 to January 2008. Peaks of copepod zooplankton were recorded in the rainy season, and there was overall a tight positive correlation between monthly rainfall and copepod biomass. The clupeids appeared in the catch at 30-50mm length when they were two-three (S. tanganicae) or three-four months old (L. miodon). For S. tanganicae, three catch peaks were due to cohorts born when copepod food was abundant, but one catch peak was due to a cohort which originated in the dry season when copepods were scarce. Likewise, two of the L. miodon cohorts giving rise to high catches likely originated from the rainy season when food was abundant, but two cohorts apparently originated from the dry season with low food conditions. The success of several cohorts of both clupeids therefore seems to be linked to rainfall and abundance of copepods, but sometimes strong cohorts could arise even under poor food conditions. Both species were recruited in the catch far before the age of maturity, making them vulnerable to overfishing.</p

Observations of a desmodesmus (Chodat) s.s. ann, friedl & e. hegewald (sphaeropleales, chlorophyta) and two didymocystis korshikov (chlorellales, chlorophyta) in lake tanganyika

peer reviewedThe occurrence of three species belonging to the small coenobia forming green algae Desmodesmus and Didymocystis is reported from the northernmost part of Lake Tanganyika, East Africa. During a monitoring between September 2011 and October 2013 the highest number of cells of Desmodesmus bicellularis and Didymocystis comasii were observed in August and September, at the end of the dry season. On the other hand, the third taxon, Didymocystis cf. inermis, was only sporadically observed between September 2011 and March 2012. According to existing databases, it should be the first records from Africa of these three species. However, D. bicellularis (as Didymocystis bicellularis) was already reported in 2003 in phytoplankton samples of the pelagic zone from more southern located places in Lake Tanganyika. © The authors

Unusual massive phytoplankton bloom in the oligotrophic Lake Tanganyika

peer reviewedBackground and aims – Massive algae growth resulting in a phytoplankton bloom is a very rare event in the meromictic and oligotrophic Lake Tanganyika. Such a bloom was observed in the north of the lake in September 2018. Phytoplankton species composition during this bloom is compared to a documented bloom in 1955, and to the composition in September 2011–2013. Meteorological observations suggest hydrodynamics could explain the occurrence of the 2018 bloom. Material and methods – Phytoplankton net samples were taken in the pelagic and littoral zone near Uvira during five consecutive days of the bloom in 2018. For the period 2011–2013, quantitative phytoplankton samples were obtained during a weekly sampling at the same sites. Samples were analysed with an inverted microscope and relative abundances of the algal species were compared. Key results – Dolichospermum flosaquae (Cyanobacteria) initially dominated the bloom followed by high relative abundance of Limnococcus limneticus (Cyanobacteria) on the third sampling day in September 2018. In the pelagic zone an increase of Nitzschia asterionelloides (Bacillariophyta), and Dictyosphaerium and Lobocystis (Chlorophyta) was observed while in the littoral zone increasing abundances of dinophytes were noted. Dolichospermum flosaquae was also responsible for the bloom reported in 1955, but was only sporadically observed in the 2011–2013 samples. Although Limnococcus limneticus was present in 2011–2013, it never reached relative abundances as high as during the 2018 bloom. Meteorological data indicate that 2018 experienced different conditions compared to previous years: strong south-east winds from May to September with a more eastern direction of the wind, and a well-marked drop in atmospheric pressure between August and September. Conclusion – After a very windy season, the combination of strong hydrodynamics, calmer lake conditions, and high solar radiation and air temperature in September 2018 was favourable for a massive Cyanobacteria bloom in the north of Lake Tanganyika. © 2021 Christine Cocquyt, Pierre-Denis Plisnier, N’sibula Mulimbwa, Muderhwa Nshombo

Fish catches from Lake Tanganyika mainly reflect changes in fishery practices, not climate

Recently it was claimed that an increase in regional temperature, related to global climate change, has resulted in substantial decline in the pelagic fish catches from Lake Tanganyika, East Africa. Surface temperatures of Tanganyika indeed show warming trends, but evidence for decreased productivity is ambiguous, and no overall decline in fish catches has been documented. In contrast, total lake-wide fish catches increased up to 1995, increased artisanal catches outweighing regional declines in industrial fisheries. We conclude that the present evidence is not sufficient to demonstrate the effects of climate change on fish stocks in Tanganyika. Evidence indicates rather that fishery intensification has been the major factor affecting fish populations

Reproduction and migratory activity of Clupeide Limnothrissa miodon Boulenger (1906) larvae in the southern part of Lake Kivu (Bukavu Basin)

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