Author(s): Kassahun Mereke, Bereket Mulugeta

Abstract: Nile perch (Lates niloticus) is the major commercially exploited species in Lake Chamo that contributes more than 25% of the total annual landings from Lake Chamo. On the other hand, its potential is not rigorously studied so far in Lake Chamo and in the other lakes as well. In the present study, the Schaefer and Fox models were used to predict the Maximum Sustainable yield (MSY) and fishing effort maximum sustainable yield (fMSY) of Nile perch in Lake Chamo using catch effort data collected over a period of 5years (2011-2015). The MSY of Nile perch in Lake Chamo is about 450 tonnes/year and the optimum level of fishing effort to be expanded on the stock should be below 657 gill nets per day. The current yield estimate is almost three times less than that of the yield predicted during the early 1990’s, which is 1125 tonnes/year. This shows that the Nile perch stock of Lake Chamo is overfished. Therefore, seasonal closure and enforcement of minimum mesh-size regulations as well as a limitation of the number of gillnets should be implemented on the Lake in order to protect the stock from depletion.

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