Effects of Cage fish farming on the diversity of aquatic macro and micro invertebrates in Tende Bay,Lake Victoria.

Abstract

Increased demand for high protein food such as fish has favoured the rearing of fish in cages in lakes, however, this activity raises concerns on the water quality deterioration which in turn affects the diversity and abundance of aquatic organisms such as zooplanktons and macro -benthic invertebrates. A study of the effect of cage fish farming on the diversity of aquatic macro and micro invertebrates in Tende bay, Lake Victoria. Selected water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen, water temperature, pH, Total Suspended Solids, Water transparency and Conductivity were measured In-Situ. Zooplankton and Macro – benthos samples were collected along three study transects: BC (Before cages towards the mouth of the bay), WC (with in cages) and AC (after cages towards the shores). There was no significant difference in the water quality parameters measured at the different sampling sites in all the transects. Pollution tolerant macro benthos such as Chironomus spp were highly abundant with in the cage sites, however there was no significant difference in the abundance of macro benthos and zooplanktons between the different sampling transects