Aquatic Animal Genetic Resources of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is endowed with large areas of inland water bodies. The country has over 12 major lakes and nine reservoirs of aquatic animal genetic resources importance. The total surface area of the lakes and reservoirs is estimated at 7609 km2, about 96% of which is covered by the larger ones. Similarly, there are nine major rivers of aquatic animal genetic resources importance; the total distance, within the country, of which is estimated at 7185 km. Moreover, the country is endowed with several creature lakes, swamps, marshes, reservoirs, ponds, hot springs, rivers and flood plains of various sizes that harbor diverse species of aquatic fauna.

Like that of the overall physico-geographic and macro- and micro-climatic variations exhibiting in the country, ranges of differences in locations, and physical and chemical parameters of the aquatic ecologies of Ethiopia that are critically important for survival, production and reproduction of aquatic animal genetic resources are unbelievably variable. Ranges in altitudes, water temperature and salinity, for example, vary from 80 meters below sea level to above 2000 meters above sea level, above 45oC to below 10oC and 0 to 160gm/litre, respectively, and similarly wide are the ranges of differences in other macro- and micro- climatic conditions as well as limnological parameters. In most of the water bodies; adapted are, however, different species of aquatic fauna, particularly fishes; and different strains of the same species.

Ethiopian aquatic ecologies are often referred as the supermarkets of aquatic biodiversity. There exist, however, no precise data and information on the number of species, bio-geographic distribution, productive and reproductive performances as well their status; and if available are very unreliable and limited to catch-effort data and on the estimated sustainable yields of commercially important fish species of major lakes and reservoirs that are of commercial fishing importance.

Fishes
The first information on the Ethiopian fishes probably appeared in the narrative of the Portuguese Embassy sent to Ethiopia in 1520 that was written by Father Francesco Alvarez on the Catfish of lake Haik, and the first scientific description of fishes of Ethiopia was made by Ruepell (1829, 1836): the German traveler, merchant and explorer who described several cyprinid and cyprinodontid fish species of the coastal regions of the Red Sea and lake Tana basin. Despite such long a history, generation of the same information and scientific description could not continue further, particularly, after the World War II and has come to the total pause until recently when some studies on fish diversities by foreigners, Ethiopian academicians, and/or joint studies between concerned Ethiopian and foreign institutions have gradually re-emerged. As the result of the later, identification of fishes of major water bodies is seemingly underway, though not in the expected pace, in the last two decades or so, but no any characterization studies within the given fish species that are adapted to different water bodies, their performance, bio-geographic distribution as well as status and trends have been conducted so far. There exists also virtually no study on other aquatic fauna of the country.

Until a decade ago, the total number of fish species of Ethiopia was reported to be 101, out of which four were believed to be endemics. Attributed to the findings of the above efforts, however, the number of fish species recorded to date is about 200, out of which at least 38 species are endemic to Ethiopia. According to the other sources, the later could even be as high as 50. Most of the endemic fish species of Ethiopia that have so far been identified belong to the family cyprinidae.

Under the national fish stocks enhancement plan,10 exotic fish species such as brown trout, rainbow trout, common carp and grass carp that belong to eight families have been introduced into the country in different periods. However, the level of success of the introduction has been variable, some seemingly resulting in total extinction and the others, particularly, common carp becoming a success story, and thus, one of the few commercially important fish species.

As stated above, no studies have so far been conducted to identify possible strains that could be found within the species. Similarly, studies on characterization, bio-geographic distribution, the status and trends of species as well as strains of respective species have so far not been started. Nile tilapias are one of the widely distributed and one of the few commercially important fish species of the country. Because of all the pressures of selection against all the odds prevailing in their specific locations, thus far reported mature weight is found to lie between one and more than four kilograms. Similarly, Nile perches, which in some localities are known by the nick name Berew (the Bull) and reportedly would usually weigh as high as 150 kgs, were earlier believed to be found in limited water bodies of the country only, the notion which has now been proved wrong. On the other, aquatic ecologies and thus aquatic biodiversity in general and fishes in particular are faced with severe threats of destruction resulting, inter alia, from such factors as excessive siltation, deforestation, land slide, ever increasing rates of unemployment, industrialization, pollution, climate change, agricultural modernization, and lack of appropriate policies and strategies. As the result of combinations of the above factors, some of the Ethiopian aquatic ecologies have already been dried up, subjecting the biological resources adapted to reside therein to extinction, and indications are that several others may also be subject to the same fate which unfortunately will be materialized within the foreseeable future. If the hitherto trend of perception to the resources use policies of “as before but little more” are to continue unchallenged, most strains/populations and even considerable amounts of species of aquatic animal genetic resources of the country may inevitably be subject to extinction, even before their existence is documented.

Responsible for this page: Animal Genetic Resources Department, 2007

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Biodiversity and the New Year in Ethiopia
By Berihun G/Medhin