<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The Couffo basin is not well known, and neither are its aquatic living resources, such as fish fauna, which are subjected to high exploitation rates. The objectives of this study were to establish length-weight ratios (LWRs) and length-length ratios (LLRs) for the most important species in the catches and those of certain economic value. A total of 12,191 specimens belonging to 40 commercial species of actinopterygian fishes were caught with several fishing gears and methods between February 2018 and March 2021. Allometric coefficient <italic>b</italic> of the LWRs (BW = <italic>a ×</italic> TL<italic>b</italic>) ranged from 2.194 for <italic>Enteromius callipterus</italic> to 3.673 for <italic>Protopterus annectens</italic> with a mean of 2.902 ± 0.315. The growth of thirteen species was isometric, that of fourteen species was negatively allometric, and that of the remaining thirteen species was positively allometric. Coefficient of determination <italic>r2</italic> for the LLRs of 39 of the 40 selected species mentioned above was significant and ranged from 0.781 in <italic>Gobionellus occidentalis</italic> to 0.997 in <italic>Elops senegalensis</italic> with a mean value of 0.951 ± 0.049. The results will be useful for further studies on assessments of population dynamics and the sustainable conservation of the already limited fish stocks in the Couffo River basin.
</abstract>

The Couffo basin is not well known, and neither are its aquatic living resources, such as fish fauna, which are subjected to high exploitation rates. The objectives of this study were to establish length-weight ratios (LWRs) and length-length ratios (LLRs) for the most important species in the catches and those of certain economic value. A total of 12,191 specimens belonging to 40 commercial species of actinopterygian fishes were caught with several fishing gears and methods between February 2018 and March 2021. Allometric coefficient b of the LWRs (BW = a × TLb) ranged from 2.194 for Enteromius callipterus to 3.673 for Protopterus annectens with a mean of 2.902 ± 0.315. The growth of thirteen species was isometric, that of fourteen species was negatively allometric, and that of the remaining thirteen species was positively allometric. Coefficient of determination r2 for the LLRs of 39 of the 40 selected species mentioned above was significant and ranged from 0.781 in Gobionellus occidentalis to 0.997 in Elops senegalensis with a mean value of 0.951 ± 0.049. The results will be useful for further studies on assessments of population dynamics and the sustainable conservation of the already limited fish stocks in the Couffo River basin.

Evaluation of length-weight and length-length relationships of some of the most abundant commercial fishes from the Couffo River basin (Benin, West Africa)

Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences

Laboratory of Functional and Evolutionary Morphology

University of Liege, Chemistry Institute B6

Fisheries & Aquatic Life

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The Couffo basin is not well known, and neither are its aquatic living resources, such as fish fauna, which are subjected to high exploitation rates. The...

Evaluation of length-weight and length-length relationships of some of the most abundant commercial fishes from the Couffo River basin (Benin, West Africa)

Publié en ligne: 13 oct. 2022

Pages: 63 - 73

Reçu: 27 avr. 2022

Accepté: 19 juin 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aopf-2022-0006

Mots clés
Ichthyofauna, allometric growth, sustainable exploitation, conservation, Couffo River

© 2022 Djiman Lederoun et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Evaluation of length-weight and length-length relationships of some of the most abundant commercial fishes from the Couffo River basin (Benin, West Africa)

Publié en ligne: 13 oct. 2022

Pages: 63 - 73

Reçu: 27 avr. 2022

Accepté: 19 juin 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aopf-2022-0006

Mots clésIchthyofauna, allometric growth, sustainable exploitation, conservation, Couffo River

© 2022 Djiman Lederoun et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
Ichthyofauna, allometric growth, sustainable exploitation, conservation, Couffo River