Baseline Survey of Fisheries Resources in the Mara Swamp and Musoma Bay, 2007

Permanent Link:: http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FIGW000007/00001

Material Information

Title:: Baseline Survey of Fisheries Resources in the Mara Swamp and Musoma Bay, 2007
Creator:: Global Water for Sustainability Program (Florida International University)
Publisher:: Florida International University
Publication Date:: 2007
Language:: English
Physical Description:: 25 pages

Abstract:: Musoma Bay is part of Lake Victoria and it stretches in an easterly direction for about 20 km in length with an average width of about five kilometers. Its end forms the mouth of Mara River. Mara Swamp is within the lower part of Mara River; it extends from about a kilometer behind the river mouth to some kilometers up the river, covering an area not less than 50 km2. Both the Bay and river have a rich assortment of floral and faunal biodiversity, some being of economic importance. Present fish resources in Musoma Bay include the Nile tilapia, the catfish, lungfish, Nile perch and some resurging species which, previously, had almost disappeared through predation, heavy exploitation, and environmental and ecological changes brought about by exceptionally heavy rains of early 1960s. Those rains also were the source of the growth and expansion of the swamp that bears riverine species, some of which ascend the river during the wet season (November-May) to spawn. Also, the flood-pools and ox-bow lakes contain fish species that have almost disappeared from the main lake. Presently, the important fish species are the lungfish and catfishes.
Citation/Reference:: Baseline Survey of Fisheries Resources in the Mara Swamp and Musoma Bay, Mara6 Basin, Tanzania. 2007. Global Water for Sustainability Program, Florida International University. 25p.

Source Institution:: Florida International University
Holding Location:: Florida International University
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