The survey of the fish fauna in Lake Kainji, Niger State and Kebbi state was carried out for a period of three months from August to October 2003 using fishermen&rsquo;s catches. Forty two species of fish were identified and these were from the families Osteoglossidae, Gymnarchidae, Mormyridae, Characidae, Citharinidae, Distichodontidae, Cyprinidae Bagridae, Schilbeidae, Clariidae, Malapteruridae, Mochokidae, Channidae, Centropomidae, Cichlidae and Clupeidae. In terms of relative abundance, the family Bagridae has the highest species diversity of 20%, while Osteoglossidae, Citharinidae, Malapteruridae, Mochokidae, Centropomidae and Gymnarcidae had lowest species diversity of 2.5%.The study provides a biogenic history of fish species diversity within this period of the year in the last two decades. The significance of the study is to provide information towards a sustainable exploitation strategy in the community based management of the fisheries of the lake

Bankole, N.O.

Mshella, M.B.

Olowosegun, O.M.

Yem, I.Y.

Aquatic Commons

  
FSN-FB 0003 
A  SURVEY OF FISH FAUNA IN LAKE KAINJI, 
NEW BUSSA, NIGER STATE 
 
MSHELIA, M. B., N. O. BANKOLE, O. M. OLOWOSEGUN AND I. Y. YEM 
National Institute for Fresh Water Fisheries Research, 
New-Bussa, Niger State. 
 
 
Copyright 2010, Fisheries Society of Nigeria. 
 
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 25
th
 Annual International 
Conference and Exhibition in Administrative Staff College of Nigeria 
(ASCON), Topo-Badagry, Lagos, Nigeria, 25
th
 – 29
th
 October, 2010. 
  
This paper was selected for presentation by an FISON Program Committee 
following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the 
author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by 
the Fisheries Society of Nigeria and are subject to correction by the author(s). 
The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the 
Fisheries Society of Nigeria, its officers, or members. Papers presented at 
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the Fisheries Society of Nigeria. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or 
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illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous 
acknowledgement of where and by whom the paper was presented. Write 
Librarian, Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON), P. O. Box 2607 Apapa, 
Lagos. 
 
 
ABSTRACT 
The survey of the fish fauna in lake Kainji, 
Niger State and Kebbi state was carried 
out for a period of three months from 
August to October 2003 using fishermen’s 
catches. Forty two species fish were 
identified and these were from the families 
Osteoglossidae, Gymnarchidae, 
Mormyridae, Characidae, Citharinidae, 
Distichodontidae, Cyprinidae Bagridae, 
Schilbeidae, Clariidae, Malapteruridae, 
Mochokidae, Channidae, Centropomidae, 
Cichlidae and Clupeidae. In terms of 
relative abundance, the family Bagridae 
has the highest species diversity of 20%, 
while Osteoglossidae, Citharinidae, 
Malapteruridae, Mochokidae, 
Centropomidae and Gymnarcidae had 
lowest species diversity of 2.5%.The study 
provides a biogenic history of fish species 
diversity within this period of the year in 
the last two decades.  The significance of 
the study is to provide information towards 
a sustainable exploitation strategy in the 
community based management of the 
fisheries of the lake. 
Keywords: Survey, Fish fauna, Kainji, 
Lake, species 
 
INTRODUCTION 
The Kainji Lake is a man-made lake 
impounded in 1968 after damming of the 
River Niger at Kainji. It is in the Guinea 
Savannah vegetation zone of north- 
western Nigeria. (Abiodun, 2002). 
The survey of the fish fauna of lake Kainji 
provides biogenic history of fish species 
diversity within the period of the year in 
the last two decades. It is against this 
context that a survey of the fish fauna is 
carried out in the lake. According to Ita 
(1986), Nigerian inland water mass is 
estimated at about 12.5 million hectares. 
These are said to be capable of producing 
over 512,000 metric tonnes of fish 
annually. The inland bodies are currently 
producing less than 50% of their estimated 
fishery potential.  
The study is meant to survey the different 
fish species currently found in the lake and 
to determine their relative abundance. And 
establish which ones are threatened by 
over fishing and which ones are no longer 
in the lake so as to determine the 
sustainable exploitation. 
 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
The study was carried out in kainji lake. 
The data collection lasted for ten months 
from January to October 2007, sampling 
once a week in three sampling sites. 
Karyah, Yuna and Monai   
The study depended on the fish caught by 
the fishermen at the three landing sites.  
The various fishing gears used by the 
fishermen included hooks and line, gill 
nets and traps. The identification of the 
fish species was done by using West 
238 Mshelia, M. B., Bankole N. O., Olowosegun O. M. & Yem I. Y. FISON EKO 2010 
 
ISSN: 1117-3149 PROCEEDINGS OF FISHERIES SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (FISON) ASCON, BADAGRY 25th-29th OCTOBER 2010 FSN-FB 0003 
African fresh water fishes by Holden and 
Reed (1990).  
The fisher folks provided the Hausa names 
of the fish species.  After identification, 
each of the fish species was counted and 
recorded. 
The total length and standard length were 
then measured and recorded for every 
sample obtained.  Weight was also taken. 
Kainji Lake is located between Longitude 
9
o
 50” and 10o 55” East and Latitude 4o 
20’ and 4o 45’North. It has a maximum 
length of 137 km, a maximum width of 25 
km, mean depth of 11 m and volume of 
13.97 km
2
 annual draw down of water 
level 10-11m, catchments area of 
1.6x106km
2
 and a mean average water 
temperature of 27.85
o
C after the 
construction. 
The species richness or diversity 
index was calculated using the formula 
below:  
x
/n x 100,  
Where  x = number of each species 
n = total number of species. 
 
RESULTS 
The following fish species were identified 
in the study area: Heterotis niloticus, 
Mormyrus rume, Mormyrops deliciosus, 
Mormyrus macrophthalmus, Hyperopisus 
bebe, occidentalis, Gnathenamus abadii, 
Mormyrops oudoti, Gymnarchus niloticus, 
Hydrocynus forskalii, Brycinus 
macrolepidotus, Alestes baremose, 
Hydrocynus brevis, and Brycinus 
leuciscus. Others include: Citharinus 
citharus, Distichodus rostratus, 
Distichodus engycephalus, Distichodus 
brevipinnis, Labeo senegalensis, Labeo 
coubie, Bagrus bayad macropterus, 
Chrysichthys aurutus longifilis, Bagrus 
docmac niger, Clarotes laticeps, 
Auchenoglanis occidentalis, Clarotes 
macrocephalus, Chrysichthys 
nigrodigitatus, Auchenoglanis biscutatus, 
Siluranodon auritus, Schilbe mystus, 
Clarias anguillaris, Clarias gariepinus, 
Malapterurus electricus, Hemisynodontis 
membraneceus, Synodontis budgetii, 
Syndontis clarias, Synodontis schall, Lates 
niloticus, Parachanna obscura, 
Oreochromis niloticus, Sarotherodon 
galilaeus, Pelmatochromis guntheri 
guntheri. 
In terms of species distribution in the lake 
during the in the study area, Synodontis 
membraneceus was the highest with 
10.23% followed by Bagrus bayad with 
8.69% then Citharinus citharus and 
Mormyrus rume each with 7.932% came 
third.  While Gymnarchus niloticus, 
Mormyrops oudoti Gnathenus abadii, 
Brycinus leuciscus, Distichodus 
engycephalus, Chrysichthys 
nigrodigitatus, Clarotes macrocephalus, 
Clarias anguillaris, Channa obscurus and 
Pelmatochromis guentheri are the least 
with 0.26% each (Fig. 1). 
However, Fig. 2 shows that the family 
Bagridae has the highest species diversity 
with 20.0% followed by Mormyridae and 
Characidae with 12.5% while 
Osteoglossidae, Citharinidae, 
Gymnarchidae Malapteruridae, Channidae 
and Centropomidae has lowest species 
diversity. 
Fig. 3 shows that gill net recorded the 
highest catch of 69%, while traps and hook 
and line recorded 18% and 13.0%. 
239 A Survey Of Fish Fauna In Lake Kainji, New Bussa, Niger State FISON EKO 2010 
 
ISSN: 1117-3149 PROCEEDINGS OF FISHERIES SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (FISON) ASCON, BADAGRY 25th-29th OCTOBER 2010 FSN-FB 0003 
                    
                         Fig.1: Percentage abundance of fish species  
 
 
 
 
               Fig. 2:  Percentage abundance of fish species in each Family in the study  
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240 Mshelia, M. B., Bankole N. O., Olowosegun O. M. & Yem I. Y. FISON EKO 2010 
 
ISSN: 1117-3149 PROCEEDINGS OF FISHERIES SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (FISON) ASCON, BADAGRY 25th-29th OCTOBER 2010 FSN-FB 0003 
   
DISCUSSION 
 
The result showed that 40 fish species in 
15 families were identified.  The family 
Bagridae has the highest species 
representation of eight.  The families 
Mormyridae and Characidae with five 
species each follow this. The families 
Mochokidae and Cichlidae have four 
species each.  These findings are similar to 
other works conducted by other workers 
on other water bodies.  
 Analysis of successional trend based on 
the old catch records revealed that during 
the first year after impoundment (1968/69) 
the catch was dominated by six major 
families namely: Citharinidae, 
Schilbeidae,Centropomidae, Mochokidae, 
Characidae, and Cyprinidae. By 1970 the 
Characidae became the most dominant 
followed by Schilbeidae and Mochokidae. 
These three families sustained their 
dominance up to 1975. With the inclusion 
of shore sets in the sampling routine in 
1976, fish families such as Cichlidae, 
Cyprinidae and Bagridae were reflected in 
the catch in greater abundance. 
 It can be concluded that the drought years 
(1972 and 1973) and drought relief years 
(1974 and1975) had a substantial impact 
on dunamics of the fish population in 
Kainji Lake.  
 Other species showing a substantial 
increase in abundance for 1996 were: 
Alestes nurse, Hydrocynus forskahli, 
Bagrus bayad , Auchenoglanis 
occidentalis, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, 
Distichodus rostratus, Lates niloticus, 
Labeo senegalensis,Labeo 
coubie,Synodontis membranaceous,and 
Clarias anguillaris. Ekeanyanwu (1980) 
identified 7 fish genera in River Dalimi, 
Jos.  Ita et. al. (1982) identified 17 fish 
species in Bakolori reservoir.  Oguzie 
(1982) identified 7 fish species in Gubi 
reservoir Bauchi State.  Anthony et  al.  
(1986) identified 4 fish species in Auree 
reservoir, Plateau State.  Zakari (1989) 
identified 28 fish species from 13 families 
in Dadin Kowa reservoir, Bauchi State 
now Gombe State. Dan-Kishiya (1991) 
identified 31 fish species in lake Geriyo, 
Adamawa State. In river Benue, Yola 
banks, Adamawa State, 28 fish species 
were identified (Usman, 1991). 
As regards the relative abundance of the 
40 species of fish identified, Synodontis 
membraneceus was the most dominant 
species constituting 10.23% of the total.  
This was followed by Bagrus bayad with 
8.69% then Citharinus citharus and 
Mormyrus rume with 7.92% each.  Other 
dominants species found during sampling 
period include Clarotes laticeps, 
Distichodus rostratus, Hydrocynus 
Traps
18%
Hooks and Line
13%
Gill net
69%
Fig. 3: Pie chart showing the percentage of fish catch by gears used
241 A Survey Of Fish Fauna In Lake Kainji, New Bussa, Niger State FISON EKO 2010 
 
ISSN: 1117-3149 PROCEEDINGS OF FISHERIES SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (FISON) ASCON, BADAGRY 25th-29th OCTOBER 2010 FSN-FB 0003 
forskalii, Mormyrops deliciosus and 
Oreochromis niloticus.  However, in 
Dadin kowa reservoir; Alestes nurse, 
Synodontis Clarias,Schilbe mystus, Bagrus 
bayad,  macropterus and Clarias species 
were the dominant fish species (Zakari, 
1989), while in Bakolori reservoir, Labeo 
Synodontis and Clarias species constitute 
the most important fish species (Ita et al., 
1982). These showed slight difference.  
With 40 fish species representing 15 
families identified in the lake within the 
period of study, the lake may be said to be 
rich in fish species.  
From the foregoing, it could be said that 
fish fauna of the lake is yet to be exhausted 
in terms of identification.  This is due to 
the fact that months taken for the study is a 
limiting factor itself in exhausting such 
study. This will serve as a base line 
material for future research as regards fish 
fauna population dynamics that need to be 
fully exploited by the federal and Niger 
State Governments. 
 
REFERENCES 
 
Abiodun, J. A. (2002). Evaluation of 
fisheries catch trend on Lake Kainji, 
in Nigeria. (1995-2001). Journal of 
Applied Sciences and Environmental 
Management. 7(2):9-13. 
Anthony, A.E., Eneriene, J. and Ufodike 
E.B.C. (1986). Studies on the 
Ichthyofuana of Ouree Reservoir, 
Plateau State of Nigeria. Nigerian 
Journal of Applied Fisheries and 
Hydrobiology 4: 15-16. 
Balogun, J. K (1985). The fisheries of 
Lake Kainji. Past, Present and 
Future.  Journal of  the Nigerian 
Field. 50: 29-34 
Dan-Kishya, A.S. (1991). Species 
diversity of fish in Lake Geriyo, 
Yola, Adamawa State of Nigeria 
Pp.9-18. 
Ekeanyanwu, A. A., (1980). A survey of 
the macro-invertebrate and fauna in 
the Delimi River in relation to water 
quality. Pp. 2-53 
Ekeanyanwu, A.A., (1990).  A Survey of 
the Macro-invertebrate and fish 
fauna in the Delimi river in relation 
to water quality pp. 1-30. 
Holden and Reed W., (1990).  West Africa 
Freshwater Fish.  West Africa Fish 
Handbook. 
Holt, W.H., 1967).  Fish food processing 
new development in carp and trout 
nutrition E/FAC/TG. 
Ita, E.O. (1986).  Reservoir, Lake and 
Fishery Management and Investment 
Opportunities fisheries enterprise and 
information brochure, Kainji Lake 
research Institute. Pp.1-40. 
Ita, E.O. (1996). The current status of fish 
stocks and fisheries in Kainji Lake. 
Nigerian-German(GTZ) Kainji lake 
Fisheries Promotion Project pp 1- 4. 
Ita, E.O. Balogun, J.K. and Ademola, A. 
(1982).  A preliminary report of Pre-
Impoundment Fisheries Survey of 
Garanyo Reservoir, Sokoto State of 
Nigeria.  Report to S.R.R. B.A.A. 
Sokoto Pp. 23-26. 
Oguzie, F. (1982).  Aspects of feeding 
behaviour and Chymotropisin 
activity in the Cichlid, Sarotherodon 
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State. 30 pp. 
Usman, G.T. (1991).  The fish fauna of 
River Benue, Yola, Banks Adamawa 
State of Nigeria pp. 18. (B. Tech. 
Project). Federal university of 
technology,Yola. 
Zakari, Z.Z., (1989). Studies on the 
Ichtyofuana of Dadin kowa reservoir, 
Bauchi State, Now Gombe State, 
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A survey of fish fauna in Lake Kainji, New Bussa, Niger State

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A survey of fish fauna in Lake Kainji, New Bussa, Niger State

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