The population dynamics and stock status of African catfish Clarias gariepinus  (Burchell, 1822) in Ribb Reservoir, Lake Tana Sub-Basin, Ethiopia

Alamrew Eyayu; Agumassie Tesfahun; Solomon Wagaw; Sale Alebachew; Negese Kebtieneh

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Alamrew Eyayu
eyayualam2010@gmail.com
Department of Biology, Debre Tabor University, P.O.Box 272, Ethiopia.
Agumassie Tesfahun Department of Biology, Debre Tabor University, P.O.Box 272, Ethiopia.
Solomon Wagaw Department of Biology, Wolkite University, P.O.Box 07, Ethiopia
Sale Alebachew Department of Animal Sciences, Debre Tabor University, P.O.Box 272, Ethiopia.
Negese Kebtieneh Department of Biology, Debre Tabor University, P.O.Box 272, Ethiopia.

Vol. 14: Accepted Articles

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July 11, 2026

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The African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, is of great economic importance in Ethiopian fisheries. The species is hardy and fast-growing in any aquatic environment. This study aimed to investigate growth parameters and exploitation rates of C. gariepinus to support effective fisheries management. For this study, a twelve-month gillnet catch was employed. The FiSAT II software was used to examine the population dynamics of C. gariepinus in Ribb Reservoir using length–frequency structured data. The VBGF parameters were estimated as: L_? = 99.75 cm, K = 0.98/year, and t₀= -0.148 year. The total, natural, and fishing mortality coefficients were 3.23, 1.17, and 2.06 per year, respectively. The relative yield-per-recruit (Y’/R) analysis predicted Emax = 0.406 and revealed that C. gariepinus is overexploited, with E_0.5 = 0.267, which is lower than the current exploitation rate (E_{current =}0.64). The analysis of the probability of length at first capture indicated 71.35 cm, implying that the species is on the verge of overexploitation. Therefore, management measures need to target protecting growth from overfishing. To ensure the effectiveness of any fisheries management regulation, all stakeholders and policymakers need to establish a robust co-management program to conserve essential fish stocks.

Eyayu, A., Tesfahun, A., Wagaw, S., Alebachew, S., & Kebtieneh, N. (2026). The population dynamics and stock status of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) in Ribb Reservoir, Lake Tana Sub-Basin, Ethiopia. International Journal of Aquatic Biology, 14. Retrieved from http://ij-aquaticbiology.com/index.php/ijab/article/view/2854

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