ASSESSMENT OF FISHING GEAR AND CATCH RATE IN OGUTA LAKE OF SOUTH EASTHERN NIGERIA  

The study was carried out in Oguta Lake from January, 2012 to December, 2013 at five stations (Onu Utu, Okposha, Ogbe Hausa, Osemotor and Ede Ngwugwu) to assess the fishing gear and catch rate. The Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in Imo State, Nigeria and originated from a natural depression. It is bounded between longitude 6° 41' - 6°50' East and latitude 5°41' - 5°44' North of the equator. Total catch by species was recorded for gillnets, cast nets, hook and lines, boat seines, lift nets, basket and drum traps.

The average weight of fish caught per canoe per day ranged between 3.2kg for Basket and Drum traps to 47.1kg for boat seine nets. The gill nets had a range between 6.0 to 13.0kg per canoe per day with mean weight of 8.60 ± 2.91kg. Cast net had values ranging from 1.0 to 7.0kg with a mean weight of 4.3 ± 2.49kg. Lift nets yielded an average of 3.4 kg per canoe per day.  In this study, gill nets were the main gears used by fishers, followed by long lines and cast nets.  The study revealed that the use of these gears, however, may promote resource overexploitation as they are non-selective. So far, it has not been demonstrated that the fish stocks in the lake are being under exploited. However, it may be necessary to locate all the fishers operating in the lake so as to collect daily record of catches be towards achieving a more accurate picture of the total catch and fish species.  Since mesh size regulation prevent over exploitation of young fish, before they attain sexual maturity, it is recommended that the procurement of fishing inputs such as fishing gear and crafts should be monitored by government and also subsidized for the fishers in order to achieve better control.

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