Large catfishes (Clarias gariepinus & Clarias ngamensis) are not exploited commercially in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. They however constitute a large proportion of the gill net fishery catch (23 %) albeit as by-catch, coming second after cichlids (70 %). Monthly experimetal gill net sampling over 8 years showed that C. gariepinus was the most abundant species in the Okavango Delta by mass making up 37 % of the catch composition by fresh weight. Despite the relatively high abundance of C. gariepinus in the Okavango Delta, its status has never been fully assessed. For this reason, this study aimed to assess the status of C. gariepinus in the Okavango Delta with the particular goal to determine if the species could support a directed commercial gill net fishery. Investigation of the effects of the flood pulse on abundance of C. gariepinus showed that variability in water levels was the major driver of population abundance for this species. Three biological variables: (1) catch per unit effort (CPUE); (2) % catch composition and (3) Shannon's diversity index (H') exhibited a negative and significant relationship with the flood index within a year. The variation in these variables was statistically significant between months. There was a weak positive relationship between water levels and the biological variables between years suggesting increase in productivity of the system at high water levels without a lag period. Age and growth were determined using sectioned otoliths. Edge analysis showed that growth zone deposition occurred during the drawdown period in summer when water temperature and day length were increasing. The maximum recorded age was 15 years. Growth of this species was best described by the linear models (y = 21.50x + 427.39 mm LT; r² = 0.35) for females and (y = 23.79x + 440.83 mm LT; r² = 0.38) for males. The von Bertalanffy growth model described growth as Lt = 10000(1- exp(-0.002(t + 18.07))) mm LT for combined sexes Lt = 10000(1- exp( -0.002(t + 18.50))) mm LT , for females and Lt =908(1-exp(-0.076(t+7.95)))mmLT for males. Age at 50 % maturity was attained in the first year of life. Spawning occurred throughout the year with an apparent peak between November and April. The mean total annual mortality rate (Z) was 0.25 per year. The mean annual natural mortality rate (M) was 0.20 per year and fishing mortality (F) was calculated at 0.05 per year. The life history strategy of C. gariepinus was in between the periodic and opportunistic strategies. Therefore management of this species should be aimed at maintaining a healthy adult population and age structure. Since a large portion of the Okavango Delta is already protected and most other parts are also inaccessible to fishers there are enough spatial refugia for the species and the status quo should be maintained. Under this scenario, there is no need for regulation of the current mesh sizes because the species is harvested after maturity and replenishment of exploited populations will always occur from other parts of the system. Per recruit analyses indicate that the current fishing mortality maintains spawner biomass at levels greater than 90 % of pristine levels. Therefore a commercial fishery may be established using mesh 93 mm to maximize yield with a rotational harvesting strategy. Close monitoring is essential to ensure that re-colonization of overexploited habitats does indeed occur. Recreational angling and commercial gill net fishing need to be separated on a spatial and temporal scale during the feeding run to minimize potential conflicts.

Thesis (M. Sc. (Agriculture)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Fish assemblages in relation to environmental variables within the Broederstroom and Debengeni Rivers were investigated. Both rivers were characterized by coarse substrates (pebble and gravel), temperatures below 20°C and moderate depth. Trout dominated fish assemblages in terms of numbers caught and was only distributed at higher altitude sites >1400 m (a.s.l). Coarse substrates, temperatures below 15°C, flow rate, depth and riparian cover were the variables shown important for the distribution of trout by multivariate analysis. The confinement of the trout to higher altitude and lack of optimal habitat variables at lower altitude sites contributed to the assertion that the area is marginal for trout distribution. It was therefore inferred that the marginality of the area is the possible explanation for trout failure to self-sustain its population, therefore dependent on the continuous restocks by the local hatchery. The continuous restocks of small size trout in the Broederstroom River prompted a subsequent study where trout’s impact on macroinvertebrate communities was evaluated through surveys and field experiments. The ability of small trout to utilize macroinvertebrates made them suitable candidates to evaluating their impact in the area. Aquatic invertebrates were found to be the main food source for the trout in the area. Taxa such as Gomphidae and Potamonautidae were the most frequent food items from the analyzed stomachs of trout. However, observations from both field surveys and experiments showed that trout is a weak regulator of macroinvertebrate diversity in the area, since there were no significant differences (ANOVA, P<0.05) in the diversity of invertebrates from trout invaded and uninvaded sites. Trout being a weak regulator of macroinvertebrate diversity in the area, it prompted surveys to the Ebenezer Dam to determine its competitive interactions with native predatory species. If the introduced species is a more efficient predator than the native predator species, it may affect changes in the structure of the habitat and food resource. Trout in the Ebenezer Dam was found to be selective to habitat variables whilst C. gariepinus was cosmopolitan to all habitat categories. The catfish also had a broader food preference than trout and the diversity of the food items was significantly different (ANOVA, P<0.05) between the two species. Unfortunately, the interspecific food overlap between trout and the catfish could not be determined in Ebenezer Dam, because of the small sample size of trout but food selection between vii them was evident. It was then concluded that the native catfish has a wider niche and it is a more efficient predator than the introduced trout. This observation contributed further to the assertion that the area is marginal for trout to thrive. Due to trout selection of habitat variables, it became prudent to carry out another study where the past climate and land use changes were analyzed to determine their effect on the habitat that could have affected the distribution of trout in the area. Future projections were also made to determine possible future impacts of climate change on the distribution of trout in the area. The effects of climate and land use change resulted in warmer water temperature, altered riparian cover and altered stream flow patterns. The changes could have influenced the confinement of trout to higher altitude catchments. The projected maximum temperatures by 2050 shows an increase from 2014 with a decline in precipitation. If these projections are to be the same for water temperature and flow regimes, coupled with current land uses in the area, they will continue to affect the distribution of trout negatively.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as DDT have the ability to disrupt hormonally controlled processes, such as spermatogenesis, which is the maturation of germ cells into spermatozoa. During normal spermatogenesis, germ cell apoptosis can occur, but the degree of apoptosis within the testis could possibly be affected by exposure to EDCs. In 2004, a pilot study on the reproductive health of two freshwater fish species, Oreochromis mossambicus and Clarias gariepinus, from three impoundments in the Luvuvhu River, found concerning levels of DDT and its metabolites in both species from the Nandoni Dam, and in O. mossambicus from the Xikundu Weir. This was not surprising as a large part of the Luvuvhu River catchment is located within an area where ongoing DDT-spraying occurs for vector control purposes. Hence, in 2006, a larger WRC-funded project began to further investigate the findings from the pilot study. A subsidiary study, spanning two seasons, was initiated to investigate testicular apoptosis in fish from the polluted systems, the Nandoni Dam (ND) and the Xikundu Weir (XW), as well as a reference site, the Albasini Dam (AD), utilizing caspase-3 and TUNEL immunoexpression as apoptotic markers. In addition, three fixatives, Bouin’s Fluid (BF), Neutrally Buffered Formalin (NBF) and Paraformaldehyde (PFA), were used to determine which would be the optimal fixative for both histological and immunohistochemical assessments. Sampling occurred during season 1, the low-flow season (October 2007), during DDT spraying of the surrounding area, and season 2, the high–flow season (February 2008), two months after the DDT-spraying was completed. The testes of O. mossambicus (n = 19 season 1, n = 25 season 2) and C. gariepinus (n = 19 season 1, n = 20 season 2) were fixed in the above-mentioned fixatives, embedded in paraffin wax, prepared for immunohistochemistry, and exposed to caspase-3 antibodies and TUNEL antibodies individually. The results indicated that the residues of p,p´-DDT - DDD and - DDE were found in the fat samples of both O. mossambicus and C. gariepinus, in AD, ND and XW. Testicular apoptotic assessment using the caspase-3 assay clearly labeled spermatocytes in the process of cellular death in both seasons, in all three fixatives. When comparing the two assays, a significant difference is found between the caspase-3 and TUNEL positive cells. The results further show that, when comparing the three sampling sites, the highest amount of positive cells are found at the XW. The decrease observed in season two, in both the caspase-3 and TUNEL assay may possibly be linked to the stage of spermatogenesis, coinciding with hormonal changes associated with the different sampling seasons (i.e. breeding and non-breeding seasons). The levels of DDT found in the fat tissue, could not be correlated to an up-regulation in apoptotic cells. The results The results indicated that the choice of fixative, could affect the identification of the amount of positive cells. The utility of the caspase-3 and TUNEL assays, in conjunction with all three fixatives, proves a successful tool in assessing and quantifying modulated testicular apoptosis, creating greater research potential in the assessment of the effects of aquatic pollution. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Physiology / unrestricted

No description available.

La présente étude s’inscrit dans une approche perspective d’augmentation de la production halieutique nationale par l’amélioration des techniques piscicoles déjà existantes, notamment les trous traditionnels à poissons (whedos), dans le delta du fleuve Ouémé (sud Bénin). Les premières approches de nos investigations montrent que, sur le plan socio-économique, l’augmentation de la productivité des whedos s’avère nécessaire pour l’amélioration des conditions de vie des pêcheurs dans la Vallée de l’Ouémé. En effet, avec le mode actuel de gestion des whedos, le revenu net par hectare et par an peut varier entre 182.000 et 572.000 Fcfa. Il représente au niveau actuel environ 27 % des revenus totaux de la pêche par ménage. Cependant, avec la mise en charge et l’alimentation artificielles d’espèces piscicoles adaptées, telles que les poissons-chats Clarias gariepinus et Heterobranchus longifilis, des rendements annuels de 3 à 36 t ha-1 peuvent être obtenus en fonction des densités d’élevage (respectivement de 4 à 24 poissons m-3). Les revenus nets provenant d’une telle gestion sont assez importants et peuvent varier en fonction de la densité de mise en charge, entre 1.664.000 et 31.675.000 Fcfa (respectivement de 4 à 24 poissons m-3). Ainsi, bien que la densité de 10,5 poissons m-3 soit apparue comme étant idéale pour l’optimisation des performances zootechniques, la recherche du profit maximal nous amène à suggérer pour la promotion de l’élevage de C. gariepinus dans les whedos, l’utilisation des densités plus élevées (environ 24 poissons m-3) afin de maximiser leurs capacités de production. Par ailleurs, la nécessité de production massive d’alevins de ces poissons-chats s’est avérée indispensable pour la promotion effective de leur élevage en whedos. A cet effet, nous avons évalué quelques aspects de l’élevage larvaire de ces espèces (âge de sevrage et densité de stockage), de même que les effets zootechniques et nutritionnels de différents régimes à base des tourteaux de soja et de coton aussi bien chez les larves que les juvéniles. Il ressort de ces études que le sevrage des larves de H. longifilis, maintenues à des densités de 10 à 25 individus L-1, est nécessaire entre les jours 5 et 8 post-éclosion afin d’optimiser aussi bien les performances zootechniques qu’économiques de l’élevage. D’autre part, le tourteau de soja s’est avéré plus efficace que celui de coton aussi bien chez les larves que les juvéniles de ces poissons-chats. Cependant, la présence des facteurs antinutritionnels, notamment l’acide phytique, limite les niveaux d’utilisation de ces tourteaux dans les régimes, étant donné que chez les juvéniles des réductions significatives des teneurs corporelles en minéraux, notamment en P, Zn et Mn ont été observées avec les régimes contenant jusqu’à 60 % de ces tourteaux. The present study aims to appraise the perspectives to increase the national fish production by improving the existing fish production systems, as the traditional fish pond (whedos), in the Ouémé River delta (southern Benin). The first approaches of our investigations show that, on the socio-economic level, the increase in the productivity of the whedos seems necessary to improve the livelihood conditions of the fishermen in the Ouémé Valley. Indeed, with the current mode of management of these whedos, we have observed that the net income per hectare can vary between 182,000 and 572,000 Fcfa. It represents, at the current level, approximately 27 % of the total incomes of fishing per household. However, by artificial stocking with adapted fishes, such as the catfishes Clarias gariepinus and Heterobranchus longifilis, and feeding, the annual outputs from 3 to 36 t ha-1 can be reached according to the stocking densities (from 4 to 24 fish m-3, respectively). The nets incomes generated from such management are rather important and can vary according to the stocking densities from 1,664,000 to 31,675,000 Fcfa (from 4 to 24 fish m-3, respectively). Although the density of 10.5 fish m-3 seemed ideal for the optimization of zootechnical parameters, the search of maximum profit leads us to suggest the higher densities (approximately 24 fish m3) for rearing African catfish in the whedos. Moreover, to improve the knowledge of these catfishes fingerlings production, we evaluated some aspects of the larval rearing (weaning time and stocking density), just as the nutritional effects of various diets, based on soybean or cottonseed meals, in the larvae as well as in the juveniles. It arises from these studies that, the weaning of H. longifilis larvae maintained at the densities from 10 to 25 L-1, is necessary between days 5 and 8 posthatch in order to optimize the zootechnical and economical performances of the rearing. Furthermore, we have observed that soybean meal was more effective than cottonseed meal in the larvae as well as in the juveniles. However, the presence of antinutrients factors, particularly the phytic acid, limit the levels of inclusion of these oilseed meals in the diets, since in juveniles, significant reductions of the body minerals contents, particularly P, Zn and Mn, were observed with the diets containing up to 60 % of these plants ingredients.

M.Sc. (Zoology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2008. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Aims of this thesis were to assesed the impact of feeding, temperature of water and fish size on ammonia excretion and oxygen consumption in Clarias gariepinus in recirculating system. Fish were divided in 8 weight categories from 21 to 2495 g. Experiments were performed under four temperatures: 22°C, 25°C, 28°C and 30°C. Fish were acclimatized, light conditions were: 14 hours of light period and 10 hours of dark period. Feeding was provided fed four times a day. Starved fish were measured. Measurements were held every two hours. Oxygen consumption was measured by multimeter and ammonia excretion using Nessler?s method. Average daily oxygen consumption in fed fish was dependent on temperature and average individual weight of fish, varied from 10.5 to 96.6 mg O2/kg/h and in hungry fish from 4.3 to 61.8 mg O2/kg/h. TAN excretion varied from 0 to 59.9 mg TAN/kg/h in fed fish and from 0 to 60.8 mg TAN/kg/h in hungry fish. Oxygen consumption increased with increasing temperature. Ammonia excretion was very unstable at all temperatures in all weight categories. Fish had higher ammonia excretion in light period of experiment.

Investigating the biosynthesis of long-chain (C20–24) polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), physiologically important compounds including arachidonic acid (ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in fish is crucial to identify dietary requirements for essential fatty acids (EFA). Moreover, knowledge of the C20–24 LC-PUFA biosynthetic capability of farmed fish species enables us to understand their ability to utilise commonly used raw materials such as vegetable oils, which naturally lack LC-PUFA but include C18 PUFA that are metabolic precursors of LC-PUFA. Studies have shown that the potential of a species for LC-PUFA biosynthesis is associated with the complement and function of fatty acyl desaturase (fads) and elongase of very long chain fatty acid (elovl) genes existing in that species. The present study therefore aimed to investigate these genes in the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), the most commercially important farmed fish in sub-Saharan Africa. A fads2, a fads6 and four elovl (elovl2, elovl4a, elovl4b, elovl8) cDNAs were cloned and functionally characterised by heterologous expression in yeast. The Fads2 was a bifunctional desaturase enzyme with ∆6∆5 and ∆8 activities, and thus catalysing all the desaturation reactions required for ARA and EPA biosynthesis from C18 precursor fatty acids. Moreover, the C. gariepinus Fads2 enzymes also desaturated 24:5n-3 to 24:6n-3, a ∆6 desaturation required for the biosynthesis of DHA through the so-called “Sprecher pathway”. Functional characterisation of Fads6 by heterologous expression in yeast did not reveal its function. With regards to elongases, the C. gariepinus Elovl2 demonstrated the ability to elongate C20 and C22 PUFA and thus complements the Elovl5 with elongase capability towards C18 and C20 PUFA. The Elovl8 was capable of only limited elongation of C18 and C20 PUFA. Elovl4a and Elovl4b, enable the biosynthesis of very long-chain (>C24) fatty acids, compounds with major roles in vision and fertility of vertebrates. The present study confirmed that C. gariepinus possess all the enzymatic capabilities required for the biosynthesis of ARA, EPA and DHA and, therefore, its physiological EFA requirements could be satisfied with dietary provision of C18 PUFA.

M.Sc. / A comparative study was undertaken in the Olifants River catchment, to determine the water quality at two dam sites, namely, Bronkhorstspruit Dam (control) and Loskop Dam (polluted) in the upper Olifants River system and two river point, namely, at Mamba and Balule in the Kruger National Park, in the lower Olifants River system. Data was obtained during the physical and chemical analysis of water and sediment samples, and during bioaccumulation studies using Atomic Absorption spectrometry, testing for aluminium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, strontium and zinc. These tests were conducted on the liver, skin, muscle and gills of Clarias gariepinus. The information collected from Mamba and Balule, was compared with a previous study carried out primarily in the Kruger National Park by Marx, (1996). The study undertaken by Marx (1996) was carried out during a drought period, which allowed for the comparison with results recorded after flooding during the present study. This current research project therefore allowed for the comparison between two different water sources, namely, that of dams and rivers, and under varying environmental conditions. The Aquatic Toxicity index (ATI) developed by Wepener et al. (1992) was employed to facilitate the comparison between the water physical and chemical parameters that were measured, at each sample site, with a single variable being calculated for each sample site per survey. The water quality (ATI values) at the two control sites namely, Bronkhorstspruit Dam and Balule deteriorated substantially after the floods. High water levels due to the floods had a dilution effect on the concentration of pollutants however, toxicants were washed in from upstream and due to surface runoff. The removal of the purifying reed beds upstream of Balule and at the inflow to Bronkhorstspruit Dam, resulted in the release of latent sludge containing metals and organic pollutants into the water column. The ATI value's obtained for the two control points were similar or even higher than those obtained for the two polluted sites namely at, Loskop Dam and Mamba for the autumn and winter sampling periods. During following surveys the water quality at all four sample sites improved, returning to pre flood values by the last survey in summer, namely reflecting similar values as those recorded by Marx (1996) at Balule, Mamba and Loskop Dam for the same period. Sediment concentrations recorded a similar trend to that for water at all four sample sites throughout the study. The bioaccumulation study indicated that the gill concentrations recorded were generally the highest, followed by the liver concentrations. From this one may deduce that gills were the dominant site for metal absorption by the fish, with the excretion of metals also taking place via this route. Liver concentrations are an indication of the activation of protective _mechanisms in the fish sampled, the high concentrations recorded indicate the high physiological response the fish have had to the various levels of exposure. The low concentrations recorded in the muscle indicates the effectiveness of the liver in the detoxification of the fish, indicating that only limited storage of the various metals tested for took place at this site. Skin concentrations were quite high, these concentrations represent the products of an excretory process, which takes place via the skin. The order of concentrations recorded during the present study, were similar to the orders recorded by Marx, (1996) and other authors, however, the order of the skin and muscle concentrations were often reversed. This may be due to the increased excretion of these metals via the skin, resulting from increased exposure to these metals after the floods. Thus the increased exposure