Protected Area Concept Effect On Species Composition And Abundance A Case Of Lake Mutirikwi, Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT

A study to investigate the concept of protected areas in the conservation of targeted fish species was

carried out on Lake Mutirikwi, Zimbabwe. The research was aimed at establishing differences in fish

species composition, abundance and catch per unit effort (CPUE) on different sites of the lake and to

enhance conservation and management of targeted fish species through better understanding on the

concept of protected area.The study was done using a Completely Randomised Design (CRD) with

two treatments and no blocking factor. Biological data (species, count and weight) for individual fish

samples were collected from two sampling stations, one protected and the other fished using

monofilament gillnets. Species composition, species diversity (H'), species evenness and CPUE were

determined in each station.A total of 1310 specimens belonging to 7 species (Tilapia rendalli,

Oreochromis niloticus, Oreochromis macrochir, Serranochromis robustus, Micropterus salmoides,

Clarius gariepinus, and Mormyrus longirostris) representing 4 families (Cichlidae, Centrachidae,

Clariidae, and Mormyridae) were recorded in the 10 sampled stations. All statistical analysis was

performed with GenStat Version 14 software. The findings reviewed no significant difference in fish

species composition (F = 0.581; p > 0.05), a significant difference in fish abundance (F = 0.018; p