Assessment of Gerio Lake Fishery for Enhanced Management and Improved Fish Production

The highlights of the Fisheries Assessment Survey conducted on Gerio Lake, Yola in Adamawa State, North-eastern Nigeria in February, 2005 is presented in this paper. There were 22 fish species found in fishermen’s landings during the survey period. About 30 fishermen were found using undersized nets to catch the juveniles of these species. Fishing pressure was found to be very high. For an optimum catch, about 10 fishermen ought to have engaged in full time fishing activities if, the fisheries of the lake is to be managed on a sustainable basis. However, a surplus of over 80 fishermen was recorded actively fishing during the period of the assessment. All these have a depleting effect on the abundance and sizes of fish harvested from the lake. A community based fisheries management system, which establishes a participatory involvement of fishermen in the conservation and rational exploitation of fisheries resources for the well being of the stakeholders is recommended for the Lake.