Length-Weight Relationship and Condition Factor of Twenty Fish Species in Ebrie Lagoon (Aghien-Potou Sectors Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire)

Abstract

Aims: This study investigated Length-weight relationships and condition factors of fish species in Ebrie Lagoon (Aghien-Potou sector, Côte d’Ivoire) Place and Duration of Study: Ebrie Lagoon (Aghien-potou sector) from April 2019 to March 2020. Methodology: study was conducted during 3 to 4 days continuously in Ebrie Lagoon (Aghien-Potou Sector). Furthermore, monthly fish samples were collected from commercial fishing area at random using gillnets, cast nets, traps, hooks and beach seines. Results: All Length-Weight regressions were highly significant with the coefficient of determination (r2) ranging from 0.61 in Schilbe mandibularis to 0.90 in Monodactylus sebae and Chrysichthys maurus. An isometric growth was observed for most of species except three of them namely Ethmalosa fimbriata, Pseudotolithus elongatus, and polydactylus quadrifilis. The k values varied from 0.19±0.001 in S. melanotheron to 6.10±0.3 in Monodactylus sebae. The values of b and k denote that the Ebrie lagoon could provide a favourable environment and suitable habitat for the growth of those fish species. Conclusion: The study provides basic information on length-weight parameters for twenty major fish species collected from Ebrie lagoon (Aghien-Potou sector). Three species namely Ethmalosa fimbriata, Pseudotolithus elongatus and Polydactylus quadrifilis exhibited a trend of positive growth whereas seventeen fish species showed isometric growth. The condition factor k was superior to 1 for 75% of the fish species and inferior to 1 for 25 % of the fish species. These growth trends denote that the lagoon could provide a favourable environment and suitable habitat for the growth of those fish species. Thus it would be interesting to create a protected area near the lagoon in order to ensure the protection of fish species.