A study of fish species abundance of Otammiri River, Owerri, Nigeria was conducted from April to August, 2012. Four hundred and three (403)fishes belonging to 10 families, 16 genera and 21 species were collected from artisanal fishers using various fishing gears. The fish samples were taken to laboratory, identified, counted and their weights and lengths measured. The unnamed cichlid species ranked highest in percentage number and weight as well as Index of Preponderance (38.7%, 33.6% and 51.1% respectively), while the least were Polycentropis abbreviata, Hepsetus odoe, Synodontis omias, Chrysichthys aluensis and Chrysichthys furcatus each constituting 0.2% of the total number of fish collected. Among fish families, Cichlidae ranked highest in percentage number (82.63%) and weight (81.2%), followed by Hepsetidae (5. 7% and 8.0%) and Anabantidae (4.47% and 2.8% respectively). The least were Characidae, Notopteridae and Mochokidae. The presence of an unnamed fish species in the river is an indication that there could be more unknown aquatic living resources with strong potential benefits to the River. The information provided in this study reflects the potential of the fish resources of Otammiri. This will serve as invaluable baseline tool in fisheries management planning and policy formulations that will enhance the development of fisheries in the area

Ude, E.F.

Udoimuk, S.

Aquatic Commons

Introduction
Fish and fishery products represent a very valuable source of protein and essential micronutrients for balanced nutritionand good health. In 2009, fish accounted for 16.6 percent of the world population's intake of animal protein and 6.5percent of all protein consumed. Globally, fish provides about 3.0 billion people with almost 20 percent of their intake
of animalprotein, and 4.3 billion people with about 15 percent of such protein. (FAO, 20 I2).
Fish contain a good balance of essential amino acids and is highly digestible (87 - 90%) and compares favourably well
with egg, milk and chicken meat (Ugwu, 1997). Fish is a good source of vitamins and minerals but with low carbohydrate
content.About 40% of the animal protein consumed by the average Nigerian especially among the rural dwellers is derived
fromfish(Ugwu, 1997).
Unfortunately,many countries still encounter great difficulties in managing and funding the collection of inland cap-
ture fisheriesstatistics. For example, despite the fact that African lakes and rivers provide food to a large number of inhabit-
antsand also revenues from fish exported outside Africa, it was necessary for FAO to estimate the 2004 inland total catch for
onlyhalf of theAfrican countries where inland fishing is known to take place (FAO, 2006).
FAO(2012) reported that total global capture production in inland waters has increased dramatically since the mid-
2000swith reported and estimated total production at 11.2million tons in 2010, an increase of 30 percent since 2004. Despite
this growth, it may be that capture production in inland waters is seriously underestimated in some regions. Nevertheless,
inlandwaters are considered as being overfished in many parts of the world, and human pressure and changes in the environ-
mentalconditions have seriously degraded important bodies of freshwater (e.g. the Aral Sea and Lake Chad).
The fish yield of most inland waters inNigeria are generally on the decline for causes that may range from inadequate
managementof the fisheries to degradation of water bodies (Odo et aI., 2009). Ude '(2011) reported that detailed knowledge
of the form and function of the river system and the responses of fish species are needed for effective fisheries management
planning.Welcomeand Halls (2001) reported that such detailed knowledge of individual system is generally lacking. There
. has been pockets of research efforts at different levels in attempt to bridge this gap. Ude (2010) investigated the ecology and
Abstract
A study offish species abundance ofOtammiri River, Owerri: Nigeria was conductedfrom April to August, 2012. Four hundred and
three (403)fishes belonging to 10families, 16genera and 21 species were collectedfrom artisanal fishers using variousfishing gears.
Thefish samples were taken to laboratory identified, counted and their weights and lengths measured. The unnamed cichlid species
ranked highest in percentage number and weight as well as Index of Preponderance (38.7%, 33.6% and 51.1 respectively), while the
least were Polycentropis abbreviata, Hepsetus odoe, Synodontis omias, Chrysichthys aluensis and Chrysichthys furcatus each consti-
tuting 0.2% of the total number of fish collected. Am';;;igfish families, CiChlidaeranked highest in percentage number (82.63%) and
weight (81.2%)followed by Hepsetidae(5.7%and 8.0%) and Anabantidae (4.47% and 2.8% respectively) The least were Characidae,
Notopteridaeand Mochokidae. Thepresence of an unnamedfish species in the river is an indication that there could be more unknown
aquaticliving resources with strong potential benefits to in the River. The information provided in this study reflects the potential of the
fish resources of Otammiri. This will serve as invaluable baseline tool infisheries management planning and policy formulations that
will enhance the development offisheries in the area.
Keywords:Index of Preponderance,fisheries management, Otammiri River.
Preliminary investigation of fish species abundance of Otammiri River,
Owerri, Nigeria
Ude, E. F. / Udoimuk, S.
237
Species No. collected (N) %N % Weight IP
Family Cichlidae
Unnamedspecies 156 38.7 33.6 51.1
Chromidotilapia guntheri (Sauvage,1882) 3 0.7 0.6 0.02
Hemichromis fasciatus (Peters, 1852) 2 0.5 0.5 0.01
Oreochromis nilolicus (Linne, 1758) 2 0.5 1.1 0.02
Palmatochromis pulcher (Boulenger,1901) 22 5.5 4.2 0.9
Tilapia mariae (Boulenger,1899) 125 31.0 37.2 45.3
Tilapia zilli (Gervais, 1848) 23 5.7 4.0 0.9
Family Anabantidae
238
Results and Discussion
The composition and abundance of fish species in Otammiri River during the study period are presented in Table J. Four
hundred and three (403) fishes belonging to 10 families, 16 genera and 21 species were collected. The unnamed cichlid spe-
cies ranked highest in percentage number and weight as well as Index of IP (38.7%, 33.6% and 51.1 respectively), while the
least were Polycentropis abbreviata, Hepsetus odoe, Synodontis omias, Chrysichthys aluensis and Chrysichthysfurcatus each
constituting 0.2% number offish collected.
Table 2 shows the relative abundance offish families ofOtammiri River. Cichlidae ranked highest in percentage num-
ber (82.63%) and weight (81.2%), followed by Hepsetidae (5.7% and 8.0%) and Anabantidae (4.47% and 2.8% by number
and weight respectively). The least abundant families were Characidae, Notopteridae and Mochokidae.
Table 1: Percentage fish species composition and abundance in Otamiri River
Fig. 1: Map showing sampling stations.
Avu
VI
PROCEEDINGS OF 28TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE, NOV. 25-30,2013
::l Fish samples were obtained three times monthly at 10 days interval from April to August, 2012, from fishermen who used
CIl::t: hook and line of sizes 13-18,gill nets and other fishing gears such as cast nets, bag nets and traps of diverse mesh sizes ranging
~ from 50mm to IOOmm,to catch the fish. The collected species were taken to the laboratory, sorted and identified to families,
;; genera and species levels, using reference identification texts of Reed et at. (1967), Olaosebikan and Raji (2004) and Adesulu
CIl
to and Sydenham (2007). The Total Length (TL) of the fish was measured from the tip of the snout to the tip of the caudal fin
<3 using meter rule centimeter. Fish weight was measured using electronic weighing balance, to the nearest gram. The pooled -
t-' data of catches by all gear types in the sampling stations (Figure 1)was used in assessing abundance by calculating the Indexo
C) of Preponderance (IP), which was expressed as percentages of the total weight and number of the fish caught (Moses 1987).
><:
Itchthyofaunal diversity of lower Ebonyi River-Nigeria. Similarly Ude (2012) conducted taxonomy offish species of Akpoha
River-Nigeria. Both rivers and Otammiri are inland waters located in the South-Eastern Nigeria. There is therefore a need for
information on the fish species ofOtamiri River to facilitate its proper management to enhance fish production. This need is
occasioned by the decline in capture fisheries globally (FAO, 2006) as a result of factors, most of which are man-made.
Materials and Methods
239
Fishes with Index of Preponderance values less than 0.50 are regarded as having relatively insignificant contribution,
while those with IP values greater than 0.50 have significant contribution to the fisheries ofa water body (Moses 1987). The
unnamed cichIid species, Tilapia mariae, Tilapia zilli, Ctenopoma kingslayae, Palmatochromis pulcher and Papyrocranus
afer had IP values showing relative significant contribution to Otammiri River fishery.This corroborates Ita (1993) who re-
ported that the abundant species in most Nigerian inland waters under uncontrolled conditions are the cichlids and to some
extent mochokids. The prolific breeding nature of the cichlids could be responsible for their preponderance. However, Shuka
et al. (200I) reported that the relationship between habitat and fish abundance are influenced by the species of fish investi-
gated as well as the spatial scale of investigation.
The identification of four hundred and three (403) fishes belonging to 10 families, 16 genera and 23 species in this
work duringwet season, when fishes are difficult to catch is an indication of the rich biodiversity and that there might be more
fish species in Otammiri River than the number obtained within this period of research. The presence of an unnamed fish spe-
cies in the river is also an indication that there could be much more unknown aquatic living resources with strong potential
benefits to fisheries and aquaculture development within the vicinity of the River.
Conclusion
Otammiri River appears to have rich assemblage of fish species, which if adequately harnessed through planned Fisheries
management strategies could result in enhanced nutritional status of the dwellers within the vicinity. The diverse fish species
of the river present an invaluable research resource for students of Fisheries Science in more than five tertiary institutions
locatedwithin the area. It is therefore concluded that the information generated from this work will be invaluable as a baseline
tool in fisheries management planning and policy formulations and will be a source of reference for further studies on fish
species diversity of the river.
IP
0.5
0.3
Vl
0.02 '"r:1....
0.03 (I)::x:
tIl
0.01 ~....
tIl
(I)
0.6 t;1:l....
0.2 0e-
0
G)
0.02 -<
0.01
0.1
0.01
0.002
0.02
0.01
Family No. collected (N) %N
Cichlidae 333 82.63
Anabantidae 18 4.47
Nandidae 14 3.5
Characidae 0.24
Hepsetidae 23 5.7
Notopteridae 1 0.3
Maiapteruridae 2 0.5
Mochokidae 1 0.3
Channidae 4 1.0
Bagridae 6 1.5
Table 2: Relative abundance of Fish Families in Otamiri River
2
1
2
4
2
10
13
0.2 0.03
1.5 0.4
1.9 0.04
0.2 1.4
2.4 6.4
3.2 1.6
0.5 1.1
0.2 0.6
0.9 2.3
0.5 0.4
0.2 0.2
0.5 0.8
0.2 0.8
%Weight
81.2
2.8
0.44
0.03
8.0
1.4
1.1
0.6
2.3
2.2
6
8
Ctenopoma kings/eyae (Gunther, 1896)
Family Nandidae
Po/ycentropis abbreviata (Boulenger,1901)
Family Characidae "
A/estes imberi (Peters, 1852)
8rycinus /ongipinnis (Gunther, 1864)
Family Hepsetidae
Hepsetus odoe(Bloch, 1794)
Family Notopteridae
Papyrocranus ater (Gunther, 1868)
Xenomystus nigri (Gunther, 1896)
Family Malapteruridae
Ma/apterurus e/ectricus (Gmelin, 1789)
Family Mochokidae
Synodontis omias (Gunther, 1864)
Family Channidae
Channa obscura (Myers & Shapovalor, 1932)
Family Bagridae
Chrysichthys auratus (Saint-Hilaire, 1808)
Chrysichthys aluensis (Risch, 1\)85)
Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Lacapede,1803)
Chrysichthys turcatus (Gunther, 1868)
No. collected (N) % N % WeightSpecies
2.818 4.4
PROCEEDINGS OF 28TH FISON ANNUAL CONFERENCE, NOV. 25-30, 2013
Ude, E.F. (2012): Taxonomy of fishes of Akpoha River and their index of Preponderance. Proceedings of the international Agriculture
Conference,ANSUlAC 2012, 6th_9th May 2012. Anambra State University, Igbariam Campus, Awka, Nigeria. 321-326.
Ugwu L. C. (1997): Fish farming development in Nigeria: prospects and problems. Journal of the Diewa Writers Club 3 (1): 213 - 222.
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Bioi. 58:682-700.
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Preliminary investigation of fish species abundance of Otammiri River, Owerri, Nigeria

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