Abundance, biomass and species composition of nearshore fish assemblages in Ghana, West Africa

Many of the world's fish populations are overexploited, including Ghana's fish resources. This study examines spatio-temporal trends in fish species composition in relation to biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic factors, towards achieving better-informed management of the beach-seine fisheri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:African journal of marine science 2006-11, Vol.28 (3-4), p.689-696
Main Authors: Nunoo, FKE, Eggleston, DB, Vanderpuye, CJ
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ARTISANAL
BEACH-SEINE
FISHERIES
GHANA
Marine
NEARSHORE
Pisces
SURF ZONE
WEST AFRICA
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Summary:Many of the world's fish populations are overexploited, including Ghana's fish resources. This study examines spatio-temporal trends in fish species composition in relation to biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic factors, towards achieving better-informed management of the beach-seine fisheries. Fishery-dependent data were collected between November 1999 and October 2001 from 94 beach-seine hauls fished at two stations along the Ghanaian coast. The catch consisted of fish, crustaceans, other invertebrates, and macroalgae. Generally, juveniles of species that are exploited by offshore fisheries were found in the catches. Species abundance and their occurrence generally peaked between November and January. Duration of solar radiation and tide level appeared to be important predictors of fish biomass. It is important to exploit the nearshore fish assemblage sustainably because of its nursery role. A co-managed (fishers and government) three-month ban on beach-seining (between May and July) is recommended as the most appropriate control measure towards the sustainability of Ghanaian fish stocks. Keywords: artisanal, beach-seine, fisheries, Ghana, nearshore, surf zone, West AfricaAfrican Journal of Marine Science 2006, 28(3&4): 689–696
ISSN:1814-232X
1814-2338
DOI:10.2989/18142320609504217