Marine protected areas and the benefits of their establishment

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), conservation and fisheries management tool, come in various sizes and shapes, and fulfill various purposes. They pre established for purposes of protection, restoration and preservation of' biota, ecosystem and ecological processes, and include recreational, educational and cultural purposes. Steps in the establishment of MPAs, their benefits and effectiveness have been highlighted. Current and profitable trends as seen in the establishment of Network of MPAs have been reported also. It has been noted that there is much benefit in using MPAs as management and conservation tool for natural aquatic resources, yet less areas have been demarcated for these purposes in comparison to the vast aquatic B ecosystem potential for such uses. When the factors militating against successful MPAs establishment such as funds for establishment and sustainable management, in-situ training, local capacity building and requisite biological and ecological data are. addressed; and stake holders fully engaged, the benefits derived there from would tremendous

Functional roles of mangroves of the Niger Delta to the coastal communities and national economy

Mangrove swamps supply various goods and provide invaluable ecological services, especially as critical habitats for fish breeding. These functions are discussed in the context of rural livelihoods of coastal dwellers in the Niger Delta in particular, and the contribution to national economies in general. The decline in capture fisheries production in Nigeria is partly linked to massive mangrove loss in the Niger Delta. This provides basis for urgent evolution of effective mangrove conservation schemes in the Niger Delta and for focused research on the interaction between the delta mangroves and inland/coastal fish recruitment and production dynamics

Water quality of Bodo Creek in the lower Niger Delta basin

The dynamics of some physicochemical parameters of Bodo Creek on the upper reaches of theAndoni-Bonny river system were studied between December 2005 and July 2006. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in Secchi Disc Transparency and salinity, while temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biological Oxygen Demand(BOD), phosphate and nitrate concentrations were similar (P>0.05) between the spatial grids. The values recorded ranged from 26.7 to 30.1°C (Temperature);73-157 cm (Secchi Disc Transperancy); 6.2-22.7%0 (Salinity); 4.6-11.8 mgtl (DO); 0.7-8.2 mgtl (BOD); 0.047-2.300 mgtl (Phosphate) and 0.013 to 0.873 mgtl (nitrate). There were obvious seasonal flux in the ecological variables (P<0.05), except nitrate concentrations that were not statistically significant (P>0.05). The usefulnessof the results infuture monitoring and possible reasons for the observed environmental gradients are discussed

Mortality rates of fish species within the Andoni River, Niger Delta, Nigeria and management measures

Pooled one-year (January to December, 1999) length-frequency data of fish species sampled from catches of five randomly selected artisanal fishers, using unmotorized dug-out canoe were fed into FISAT (FAO-ICLARM Stock Assessment Tool) to evaluate mortality coefficients. The resultant natural mortality coefficients of the11 commercially important fish species showed that Sarotherodon melanotheron (2.24y ('), Galeoides decadactylus (1.96y(1), Eucinostomus melanopterus (1.58 y(,), Tilapia guineensis (1.44 y('), Pseudotolithus elongatus (1.22 y(,) and Ilisha africana (1.08 y(1) had the highest natural mortality rates and indicative of fast growth (i.e. rapidly approaching asymptotic length (Loo); the reverse being true for Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (0.66 y(1); Pomadasys jubelini (0.74 y('); Ethmalosa fimbriata (0.78 vr'). Lutjanus goreensis and Uzagrandisquamis (0.87 yr'). The generally high total mortality values of 0.88 y(1 for C. nigrodigitatusto3.83 y(' (P. elongatus) points to death due not only to legal fishing activities but also great impacts from illegal and obnoxious fishing practices, pollution, environmental degradation, and the consequent need for management of the fishery resource within the Niger Delta of Nigeria. Management measures such as enforced licensing and registration of fishers and fishing craft, establishment of marine reserve areas and fishing registration centers would enhance sustainable use of the economically viable fishery resources within the coastal states of Nigeria and West Africa at large. Pooled one-year (January to December, 1999) length-frequency data of fish species sampled from catches of five randomly selected artisanal fishers, using unmotorized dug-out canoe were fed into FISAT (FAO-ICLARM Stock Assessment Tool) to evaluate mortality coefficients. The resultant natural mortality coefficients of the11 commercially important fish species showed that Sarotherodon melanotheron (2.24y ('), Galeoides decadactylus (1.96y(1), Eucinostomus melanopterus (1.58 y(,), Tilapia guineensis (1.44 y('), Pseudotolithus elongatus (1.22 y(,) and Ilisha africana (1.08 y(1) had the highest natural mortality rates and indicative of fast growth (i.e. rapidly approaching asymptotic length (Loo); the reverse being true for Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (0.66 y(1); Pomadasys jubelini (0.74 y('); Ethmalosa fimbriata (0.78 vr'). Lutjanus goreensis and Uzagrandisquamis (0.87 yr'). The generally high total mortality values of 0.88 y(1 for C. nigrodigitatusto3.83 y(' (P. elongatus) points to death due not only to legal fishing activities but also great impacts from illegal and obnoxious fishing practices, pollution, environmental degradation, and the consequent need for management of the fishery resource within the Niger Delta of Nigeria. Management measures such as enforced licensing and registration of fishers and fishing craft, establishment of marine reserve areas and fishing registration centers would enhance sustainable use of the economically viable fishery resources within the coastal states of Nigeria and West Africa at large

Assessment of the Physicochemical Parameters of Bodo Creek, Rivers State, Nigeria: A Pre-spill, Post-spill and Post-clean-up Review

Water bodies are a source of ecosystem services such as water supply, production, recreation, and aesthetics. In 2008, two major oil spills took place in Bodo creek. A major challenge with the assessment and monitoring of an environment is the lack of baseline data. However, Bodo Creek has been studied extensively. This paper, therefore, reviews pre-spill, post-spill, and post-clean-up studies on physicochemical parameters in Bodo Creek. This paper revealed that the difference in the levels of the physicochemical parameters including pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and temperature in Bodo Creek, before and after the oil spill was not statistically significant (P &gt; 0.05); other physicochemical parameters examined in this paper are alkalinity, total hardness, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total dissolved solids (TDS). This paper also revealed that pH and temperature were higher in the post-cleanup study, while DO and conductivity were higher in the pre-cleanup study. BOD was significantly higher in the post-spill study than the pre-spill study, indicating a high level of pollution as a result of the oil spill. This review also shows that there are higher pH and temperature levels in post-clean-up studies than the pre-cleanup studies. Preclean-up DO and conductivity were higher than the levels in the post-clean-up study

Population structure, biomass and production of the West African lucinid Keletistes rhizoecus (Bivalvia, Mollusca) in Sivibilagbara swamp at Bodo Creek, Niger Delta, Nigeria

The West African lucinid bivalve Keletistes rhizoecus (Oliver, Basteria 50:47-64, 1986) is only known from the Niger Delta in Nigeria. Due to inaccessibility of its habitat population biology, growth parameters, biomass, and annual secondary production are unknown. The danger of oil pollution threatens the localities where this species occurs. Hence, ecological characteristics of the species were investigated quantitatively from May 2007 to April 2008 at Sivibilagbara, a protected mangrove swamp at Bodo Creek in the lower Niger Delta. Density of this chemosymbiotic lucinid was significantly higher than data previously reported. Temporal size distribution of the population showed minor changes due chiefly to recruitment and growth increments. Recruits peaked in February and September. The species lifespan is estimated to be 1.2 years. The biomass and production values are relatively high, but comparable to those of other bivalve species, especially those from nearby Andoni intertidal flats

Assessment of Human Health Risk from Heavy Metal Loads in Freshwater Clam, Ergeria radiata, from the Nun River, Niger Delta, Nigeria

The Nun River where the present study took place is one of the two arms of River Niger system traversing Bayelsa State, Nigeria before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. It is home to a number of commercial fish and shellfish species, some of which are endemic, including the highly relished freshwater clam (Ergeria radiata) in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The Nun River is subjected to a myriad of human induced contaminations from oil and gas activities, agricultural runoffs, sewage disposal and recently illegal oil refining activities. Six stations were selected along the upper reaches of the Nun River across six communities spanning over 50 km. Water, sediment and E. radiata samples were collected during the months of August, October, December and January at the established stations.  Trace metal (Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, Cd and Zn) levels, bioaccumulation and bioavailability potentials of the metals in the clam were evaluated. The heavy metal levels were in the order of magnitude Ergeria&gt;Sediment&gt;overlying water across all the stations during all the months. Trace metal levels were moderately elevated with Ni recording the highest percentage elevation in the clam. Health implications of consuming seafood with elevated levels of trace metals was assessed and regular assessment of contaminant levels in the Nun River is advocated to avoid severe ecologic and human health impacts. Keywords: Trace metals, bioaccumulation, Nun River, Human Healt

Spatial and temporal variability in interstitial water quality of soft-bottom flats at Bodo Creek, Eastern Lower Niger Delta, Nigeria

Spatio-temporal dynamics of interstitial water physical and chemical characteristics were investigated on 5 intertidal platforms at Bodo Creek for2 years (May 2006 – April 2008). Temperature and Hydrogen ion concentration (pH) varied, 25oC - 34oC and 6.64 - 8.10 respectively. Salinity fluctuated between 5 psu (mesohaline) and 28 psu (polyhaline). Dissolved Oxygen content (DO) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) values were 0-7.60 mg/L and 0.64-38.40 mg/L respectively. Alkalinity ranges from 2.8–64.0 mg/L, while conductivity fluctuated between 1400and 53850 μS/Cm. Inter-site variations (P&lt;0.05) occurred in temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, conductivity and alkalinity, while salinity and Biological oxygen demand (BOD) did not vary (P&gt;0.05). Temporally, all the physico-chemical parameters varied monthly (P&lt;0.05). Seasonal differences (P&lt;0.05) were also recorded in all the parameters, except for DO and BOD. Inter-annual comparison revealed salinity (Anova = 0.06&lt; P (22.11)0.05), BOD (Anova = 1.48 &lt; P (2.11)0.05) and DO (Anova = 0.30 &lt; P (2.11)0.05) were temporally stable. Fluctuation in the water quality is discussed in relation to tidal fluxes, local weather conditions, mangrove services, leaf litter decomposition, allocthonous inputs, and intrinsic activities of zoobenthos.Key words: spatial, temporal variation, interstitial, water quality, soft-bottom flat