The Population Parameters, Food Habits and Physicochemical Environment of Three Cichlid Species in The Southwestern Sector Of The Keta Lagoon

Abstract

The study was carried out in the southwestern sector of the Keta lagoon, a closed coastal lagoon located in the southeastern part of Ghana. The study was aimed at studying the population parameters and the feeding habits of the major fish species (in terms of catch) in the lagoon in relation to the prevailing physiochemical parameters and the benthic macro fauna of the area. The water physiochemical parameters studied included the electrochemical and the optical properties of the water as well as the nutrients available for production. Macro benthic fauna studies were also carried out, in relation to sediment grain size distribution and organic matter content, as an index of the ecological state of the area. The findings from the study indicate that the seasonal precipitation pattern of the area was mainly responsible for fluctuations in the lagoon water physiochemical regime during the period of the study. The benthic fauna diversity did not indicate any effect of any external perturbation on the lagoonal environment, except salinity changes. The study on the fishery resource of the lagoon indicated that even though there source is highly exploited, it is able to maintain itself by rapid reproduction at an early age. However, if exploitation is maintained at or above the current rate, its effect, coupled with that of the stressful environment could result in diminishing catches, with catches comprising mainly of small-bodied fishes.