DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2015.v03i12.002

Pages: 991-997

Fish abundance and species diversity of gill net, purse seine and beach seine gears was assessed based on fish samples obtained from artisanal fishermen in Ferguson’s gulf. Longitudinal study design was used with data collection done during dry and wet seasons. The data generated was analyzed using One-way ANOVA at p<0.05 and Student’s t-Test at p<0.05 to establish significant differences among the fishing gears and seasonal differences respectively. One-way ANOVA, F(2,159) = 6.672, P=0.002 indicated significant differences in fish abundance for all the fishing gears, with purse seine (49%) accounting for the highest proportion, while gill nets contributed the least (14%). Significant difference in Shannon-wiener diversity (ANOVA, F(2,159) = 891.33, P=0.0001) and Evenness indices (ANOVA, F(2,159) = 6974.188, P<0.0001) was established for all the fishing gears with higher values recorded in beach seine gears indicating high species diversity. Student’s t-Test established significantly high Shannon-wiener diversity (P=0.003) and evenness (P=0.029) indices during wet season than dry season. However, no significant seasonal differences in fish abundance was established (Student’s t-Test, P=0.471). Despite the high abundance and diversity of the fish species caught by purse seine and beach seine gears in that order, most of the catch was dominated by Oreochromis niloticus indicating low overall species diversity of Ferguson’s gulf. The study revealed that purse seine accounted for high fish abundance, while beach seine captured highest number of fish species. Introduction of quotas to limit the abundance of fish landed by purse seine gears in Ferguson’s gulf is recommended by the study.