ABUNDANCE, LENGTH-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP AND BREEDING SEASON OF CLARIAS GARIEPINUS (TELEOSTEI: CLARIIDAE) IN LAKE TANA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

An exploratory fishery program was conducted on fourteen representative sites in Lake
Tana, Ethiopia, from July 1999 to June 2001. The river mouths at Dinna, Gelgel·Abbay and Gumara
showed the largest aggregation of Clanas gariepinus among all sites. The length-weight relationship for
this fish was constructed using the least squares method, and expressed by the equation TW 0.0089 *
(TL)2·910, r2 ;" 0.946, p < 0.05. This was evaluated using previous estimates made for this fish in other
African waters. The main spawning season extends from April to July, where 27-56% of the fish were at
the running (ripe) stage