Threatened and Endangered Fish species in Nigeria, A Menace to Biodiversity – A Review
##article.subject##:
Aquatic, biodiversity, conservation ecosystem and pollution
##article.abstract##
Aquatic resources are important living forms that comprise biodiversity. The Nigerian aquatic environments play host to too many native and exotic aquatic resources. This article reviewed the survey of some endangered fish species and value for sustainable development in Nigeria. Studies showed many of the Nigerian fisheries resources are endangered due to habitat degradation, overfishing, and ornamental ventures consequently due to anthropogenic activities. Aquatic resources are important for the environmental sustainability, biodiversity conservation, tourism and human consumption. Fifteen fish families in Nigeria have been listed as being threatened and endangered and this list is on the increase with time as new species are found to be extinct. Commercially important and economically valued food-fish silver catfish, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, Heterotis niloticus and Erpetoichthys calabaricus have been reported to be threatened by factors such as destruction of breeding grounds, introduction of exotic species, habitat destruction, over exploitation, migration, water pollution and human activity. Conservation strategies were postulated as habitat restoration, closed season, registration of fishing gear, education and awareness campaign, protected area establishment, security patrol against illegal fishing, artificial breeding and legislation. It is therefore recommended that the government should intensify the awareness efforts on the danger of species extinction, as well as put in place measures towards the protection of endangered species for sustainable development, while researchers should also identify and have a checklist of these species.
References
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Amaeze, N. H. and Onyema, I. C. (2014). The use of planktons as tools for monitoring water quality in oil polluted streams of the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences, 6(9): 181-193.
Asuquo, I. E. (2016). Aspects of the biology of the “near threatened” reed fish, Erpetoichthys calabaricus, Pisces: polypteridae, Smith, 1886 in a Nigerian creek. M.Sc Thesis, Post Graduate School, University of Uyo, Uyo, pp 127
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Ayotunde, E. O. and Ada, F. B. (2013). Silver catfish, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Lacepède, 1803), an endangered fish species in Cross River, Cross River State, Nigeria. International Journal of Agricultural Science Research, 2(3): 083-089.
Bertley, D. (2000). Responsible ornamental fisheries. FAO Aquaculture Newsletter No 24 FAO, Rome 760.
Bruton, C. H. (1995). Manure management. Treatment strategies for sustainable agriculture. Silsoe Research Institute, Silsoe, UK, 181pp.
Cunningham, W. P.; Cunningham, M. A. and Saigo, B. W. (2005). Environmental Science – a global concern. McGraw – Hill Companies Inc., New York. Pp 600.
Daget, J. (1954). Les poission du Niger superior. Mem. I.F.A.N. 36: 39pp.
Daget, J., Gosse, J. P and Thys Van Den Audenaerde, D. F. E. (Eds) (1984). CLOFFA U. Checklist of the freshwater fishes of Africa. MRAC, ORSTOM, 410p.
Edwards, A. W. A. (1986). Wetlands in Southern Nigeria: Proceeding of Man and the biosphere state of knowledge workshop on Nigerian wetlands, 27-29 August, 1986.
Ekpo I. E. (2013a). Women’s participation in lower Ikpa River fisheries of Akwa Ibom State Nigeria: A case - study of Ifiayong. Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 8(1): 268-278.
Ekpo, F. E. and Nzegblue, E. C. (2012). Climate change impact and adaptation opportunities on agricultural production in communities around Itu bridge-head in Itu LGA, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2(4): 2191-2202.
Ekpo, F. E., Asuquo, M. E. and Akpabio, J. (2011). Conserving biological diversity for sustainable uses in tropical rainforest of Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Issues and Agriculture in Developing Countries, 3(1): 102 – 109.
Ekpo, I. E. (2012). Hydrobiological study of Ikpa River in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Ph.D Dissertation, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria. Pp 487.
Ekpo, I. E. (2012a). Diversity and condition factor of fish species of Ikpa River at Nwaniba in Niger Delta, Nigeria. FUTA Journal of Research in Sciences, 1(1): 36-47.
Ekpo, I. E. (2013b). Effect of physico-chemical parameters on zooplankton species and density of a tropical rainforest river in Niger Delta, Nigeria using Canonical Cluster Analysis. International Journal of Engineering and Science (IJES), 2(4): 13 -21.
Ekpo, I. E. and Essien-Ibok, M. A. (2013): Development, prospects and challenges of artisanal fisheries in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Science, Management and Engineering, 2(3): 68 - 81.
Etim L. (2010). The tragedy of the commons: alleviating the tragedy by managing the commons in Nigerian waters. The 27th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Uyo held on 27th May 2010. University of Uyo Press, Nigeria. Pp 60.
FAO (1997). New revised text of the international plant protection convention, FAO, Rome.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (1995). Precautionary approach to fisheries. Part I: Guidelines on the precautionary approach to capture fisheries and species introductions.
Elaborated by the Technical Consultation on the Precautionary Approach to Capture Fisheries (Including Species Introduction). Lysekil, Sweden, 6–13 June 1995 (A scientific meeting organized by the Government of Sweden in cooperation with FAO). FAO Fish. Tech. Pap., 350(1): 52 p.
Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (2008). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.http://www.fishbase.org. Accessed on: 29th September, 2008.
Froese, R. and Torres, A. (1999). Fishes under threat: an analysis of the fishes in the 1996 IUCN Red List, P. 131-144. In: R.S.V. Pullin, D. M. Bertley and J. Kooiman (eds). Towards policies for conservation and sustainable use of aquatic genetic resources w. ICLARM Conf. Proc. 59, 277p.
Grave, S. D.; Smith, K. G.; Adeler, N. A.; Allen, D. J.; Alvarez, F.; Anker, A.; Cai, Y.; Carrizo, S. F.; Klotz, W.; Mantelatto, F. L.; Page, T. J.; Shy, J.; Villalobos, J. L. and Wowor, D. (2015). Dead shrimp blues: A global assessment of extinction risk in freshwater shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea). PLoS ONE 10(3): e0120198. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0120198.
Helfrich, L. A. and Neves, R. J. (2009). Sustaining America’s Aquatic Biodiversity: Freshwater Fish Biodiversity and Conservation. Virginia Cooperative Extension, 420-525: 1 - 6.
International Union for Conservation Nature (IUCN) (1994). Red List. In: R.S.V. Pullin, D. M. Bartley and J. Kooiman (eds). Towards policies for conservation and sustainable use of aquatic genetic resources. ICLARM Conf. Proc. 59: 277p.
ISBN063205462x.
Ita, E. O. (1993). Inland fishery resources of Nigeria. CIFA Occasional Paper No. 20, Rome FAO. 120pp.
IUCN (2003). Guidelines for application of IUCN Red List Criteria at regional levels: Version 3.0 IUCN Species Survival Commission, IUCN-Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK 26pp.
Khan, A. and Ishaq, F. (2012). Biodiversity, hotspot of biodiversity and their conservation. In: Environmental pollution and Biodiversity. Eds, Bharti, P. K.; Chauhan, A. and Kumar, P. discovery Publishing House PVT, New Delhi, India. Pp 80 – 90.
Kinako, P. S. D. (1977).Conserving the mangrove forest of the Niger Delta. Biol. Conserv., 11(1): 35 – 39.
King, R. P. and Jonathan, G. E. 2003: Aquatic Environmental Perturbations and Monitoring. African Experience, USA. 166pp.
Leveque, C., Paugy, D. and Teugels, G. G. (1991). Annotated checklist of the freshwater -fishes of the Nilo-Sudan river basins in Africa. Rev. Hydrobiol. Trop., 24(2): 131-154.
Leveque, C., Paugy, D. and Teugels, G. G. (1992). Faune des poissons d'eaux douces et sanmatres de l'Afrique de l' Quest. Collection Faune Tropicale, 28:385-902.
Lewis, D. S. C. (1972). An illustrated key to the fishes of Lake Kainji. Overseas Development Administration, London, 105.
Maitland, P. S. and N. S. Morgan (1997). Conservation management of freshwater habitats lakes, rivers and wetlands. Conservation Biology Series. Chapman and Hall Publisher.
Moses, B. S. (1990). The status of artisanal fisheries and fish resources conservation in southeastern Nigeria. Trans. Nig. Soc. Biol. Conserve., 1: 43-60.
Mustapha, M. K. (2010). Heterotis niloticus (Cuvier, 1982), a threatened fish species in Oyun Reservoir, Offa, Nigeria: The need for its conservation. Asian Journal of Biological Sciences, 1(1): 1-7.
Oladipo, E.; Ogbe, M. G.; Molta, N.; Ladipo, D.; Shingu, G.; Maiwada, O.; Dore, M. P. O.; Olojede, A.; Osemeobo, G.; Sarumi,; Ojogbo, V.; Owolabi, C. and Ene-Ita, A. (2001). Nigeria First National Biodiversity Report, 1 – 42.
Olaosebikan, B. D. and Bankole, N. O. (2005). An analysis of Nigerian freshwater fishes: those under threat and conservation options. In: 19th Annual conference of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON), 29 Nov - 03 Dec 2004, Ilorin, Nigeria, 754-762.
Olaosebikan, B. D. and Raji, A. (1998). Field guide to Nigerian freshwater fishes. Federal College Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Nigeria, 106p.
Powell, C. B. (1986). Ecological effects of human activities on the value and resources of Nigerian wetlands: Pollution and aquatic fauna: Proceeding of Man and the biosphere state of knowledge workshop on Nigerian wetlands, 27-29 August, 1986.
Raymond, R. D. (1999). Agricultural research and the art of public awareness. 217-224. In R. S. V. Pullin. D. M. Bertley and J. Kooman (eds): Towards policies for conservation and sustainable use of aquatic genetic resources. ICLARM Conf. Proc. 59, 277p,
Reed, W., Burchard, J., Hopson, A. J., Jennes, J. and Yam, I. (1967). Fish and Fisheries of Northern Nigeria. Ministry of Agriculture, Northern Nigeria, Gaskiya, Zaria. 226pp.
Reid, M. G. and Sydenham, D. H. J. (1979). A checklist of lower Benue River fishes and an ichthyogeographical review of the Benue River (West Africa). J. Nat. Hist., 13(1): 41-67.
Robinson, A., 1995. Small and seasonal does not mean insignificant: Why it's worth standing up for tiny and temporary wetlands. J. Soil and Water Conserv., 50(6): 586-590.
Stiassny, M. (1981). The medium is the message: freshwater biodiversity in peril. In: Cracraft, J. and F. Griffo (Eds.). The living Planet in crisis: Biodiversity Science and Policy, Columbia University Press, New York. 53-71.
Stiassny, M. (1998). The medium is the message: freshwater biodiversity in peril. In: Cracraft, J. and F. Griffo (Eds.). The living Planet in crisis: Biodiversity Science and Policy, Columbia University Press, New York p. 53-71.
Teugels, G. G., Reid, M. and R. P. King (1992). Fishes of the Cross River basin (Cameroun-Nigeria) taxonomy, zoogeography, ecology and conservation, Ann. Mus. R. Afr. Centr., 266: 1-132.
Udo, I. U. (2012). Taxonomic composition, diversity and abundance of the ichthyofaunal assemblage of Iba-Oku stream, Ikpa River, Nigeria. International Journal of Zoology, 8(2): 71-81.
Welcomme, R. L. (2001). Inland Fisheries: Conservation and management, Blackwells, Oxford, 350.
Welman, J. B. (1948). Preliminary survey of the freshwater fisheries of Nigeria. The Government Printer, Lagos.
Wilcox, E. B. and Powell, C. B. (Eds) (1985). Proceedings of a workshop on the mangrove ecosystem of the Niger Delta. University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Amaeze, N. H. and Onyema, I. C. (2014). The use of planktons as tools for monitoring water quality in oil polluted streams of the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences, 6(9): 181-193.
Asuquo, I. E. (2016). Aspects of the biology of the “near threatened” reed fish, Erpetoichthys calabaricus, Pisces: polypteridae, Smith, 1886 in a Nigerian creek. M.Sc Thesis, Post Graduate School, University of Uyo, Uyo, pp 127
Awobajo, O. A. (1981). An analysis of oil spills incidents in Nigeria. Proceeding of 1981 Seminar on the petroleum industry and the Nigerian environment, Warri, Nigeria held on Nov. 9-12, 1981.
Ayotunde, E. O. and Ada, F. B. (2013). Silver catfish, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Lacepède, 1803), an endangered fish species in Cross River, Cross River State, Nigeria. International Journal of Agricultural Science Research, 2(3): 083-089.
Bertley, D. (2000). Responsible ornamental fisheries. FAO Aquaculture Newsletter No 24 FAO, Rome 760.
Bruton, C. H. (1995). Manure management. Treatment strategies for sustainable agriculture. Silsoe Research Institute, Silsoe, UK, 181pp.
Cunningham, W. P.; Cunningham, M. A. and Saigo, B. W. (2005). Environmental Science – a global concern. McGraw – Hill Companies Inc., New York. Pp 600.
Daget, J. (1954). Les poission du Niger superior. Mem. I.F.A.N. 36: 39pp.
Daget, J., Gosse, J. P and Thys Van Den Audenaerde, D. F. E. (Eds) (1984). CLOFFA U. Checklist of the freshwater fishes of Africa. MRAC, ORSTOM, 410p.
Edwards, A. W. A. (1986). Wetlands in Southern Nigeria: Proceeding of Man and the biosphere state of knowledge workshop on Nigerian wetlands, 27-29 August, 1986.
Ekpo I. E. (2013a). Women’s participation in lower Ikpa River fisheries of Akwa Ibom State Nigeria: A case - study of Ifiayong. Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 8(1): 268-278.
Ekpo, F. E. and Nzegblue, E. C. (2012). Climate change impact and adaptation opportunities on agricultural production in communities around Itu bridge-head in Itu LGA, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2(4): 2191-2202.
Ekpo, F. E., Asuquo, M. E. and Akpabio, J. (2011). Conserving biological diversity for sustainable uses in tropical rainforest of Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Issues and Agriculture in Developing Countries, 3(1): 102 – 109.
Ekpo, I. E. (2012). Hydrobiological study of Ikpa River in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Ph.D Dissertation, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria. Pp 487.
Ekpo, I. E. (2012a). Diversity and condition factor of fish species of Ikpa River at Nwaniba in Niger Delta, Nigeria. FUTA Journal of Research in Sciences, 1(1): 36-47.
Ekpo, I. E. (2013b). Effect of physico-chemical parameters on zooplankton species and density of a tropical rainforest river in Niger Delta, Nigeria using Canonical Cluster Analysis. International Journal of Engineering and Science (IJES), 2(4): 13 -21.
Ekpo, I. E. and Essien-Ibok, M. A. (2013): Development, prospects and challenges of artisanal fisheries in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Science, Management and Engineering, 2(3): 68 - 81.
Etim L. (2010). The tragedy of the commons: alleviating the tragedy by managing the commons in Nigerian waters. The 27th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Uyo held on 27th May 2010. University of Uyo Press, Nigeria. Pp 60.
FAO (1997). New revised text of the international plant protection convention, FAO, Rome.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (1995). Precautionary approach to fisheries. Part I: Guidelines on the precautionary approach to capture fisheries and species introductions.
Elaborated by the Technical Consultation on the Precautionary Approach to Capture Fisheries (Including Species Introduction). Lysekil, Sweden, 6–13 June 1995 (A scientific meeting organized by the Government of Sweden in cooperation with FAO). FAO Fish. Tech. Pap., 350(1): 52 p.
Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (2008). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.http://www.fishbase.org. Accessed on: 29th September, 2008.
Froese, R. and Torres, A. (1999). Fishes under threat: an analysis of the fishes in the 1996 IUCN Red List, P. 131-144. In: R.S.V. Pullin, D. M. Bertley and J. Kooiman (eds). Towards policies for conservation and sustainable use of aquatic genetic resources w. ICLARM Conf. Proc. 59, 277p.
Grave, S. D.; Smith, K. G.; Adeler, N. A.; Allen, D. J.; Alvarez, F.; Anker, A.; Cai, Y.; Carrizo, S. F.; Klotz, W.; Mantelatto, F. L.; Page, T. J.; Shy, J.; Villalobos, J. L. and Wowor, D. (2015). Dead shrimp blues: A global assessment of extinction risk in freshwater shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea). PLoS ONE 10(3): e0120198. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0120198.
Helfrich, L. A. and Neves, R. J. (2009). Sustaining America’s Aquatic Biodiversity: Freshwater Fish Biodiversity and Conservation. Virginia Cooperative Extension, 420-525: 1 - 6.
International Union for Conservation Nature (IUCN) (1994). Red List. In: R.S.V. Pullin, D. M. Bartley and J. Kooiman (eds). Towards policies for conservation and sustainable use of aquatic genetic resources. ICLARM Conf. Proc. 59: 277p.
ISBN063205462x.
Ita, E. O. (1993). Inland fishery resources of Nigeria. CIFA Occasional Paper No. 20, Rome FAO. 120pp.
IUCN (2003). Guidelines for application of IUCN Red List Criteria at regional levels: Version 3.0 IUCN Species Survival Commission, IUCN-Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK 26pp.
Khan, A. and Ishaq, F. (2012). Biodiversity, hotspot of biodiversity and their conservation. In: Environmental pollution and Biodiversity. Eds, Bharti, P. K.; Chauhan, A. and Kumar, P. discovery Publishing House PVT, New Delhi, India. Pp 80 – 90.
Kinako, P. S. D. (1977).Conserving the mangrove forest of the Niger Delta. Biol. Conserv., 11(1): 35 – 39.
King, R. P. and Jonathan, G. E. 2003: Aquatic Environmental Perturbations and Monitoring. African Experience, USA. 166pp.
Leveque, C., Paugy, D. and Teugels, G. G. (1991). Annotated checklist of the freshwater -fishes of the Nilo-Sudan river basins in Africa. Rev. Hydrobiol. Trop., 24(2): 131-154.
Leveque, C., Paugy, D. and Teugels, G. G. (1992). Faune des poissons d'eaux douces et sanmatres de l'Afrique de l' Quest. Collection Faune Tropicale, 28:385-902.
Lewis, D. S. C. (1972). An illustrated key to the fishes of Lake Kainji. Overseas Development Administration, London, 105.
Maitland, P. S. and N. S. Morgan (1997). Conservation management of freshwater habitats lakes, rivers and wetlands. Conservation Biology Series. Chapman and Hall Publisher.
Moses, B. S. (1990). The status of artisanal fisheries and fish resources conservation in southeastern Nigeria. Trans. Nig. Soc. Biol. Conserve., 1: 43-60.
Mustapha, M. K. (2010). Heterotis niloticus (Cuvier, 1982), a threatened fish species in Oyun Reservoir, Offa, Nigeria: The need for its conservation. Asian Journal of Biological Sciences, 1(1): 1-7.
Oladipo, E.; Ogbe, M. G.; Molta, N.; Ladipo, D.; Shingu, G.; Maiwada, O.; Dore, M. P. O.; Olojede, A.; Osemeobo, G.; Sarumi,; Ojogbo, V.; Owolabi, C. and Ene-Ita, A. (2001). Nigeria First National Biodiversity Report, 1 – 42.
Olaosebikan, B. D. and Bankole, N. O. (2005). An analysis of Nigerian freshwater fishes: those under threat and conservation options. In: 19th Annual conference of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON), 29 Nov - 03 Dec 2004, Ilorin, Nigeria, 754-762.
Olaosebikan, B. D. and Raji, A. (1998). Field guide to Nigerian freshwater fishes. Federal College Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Nigeria, 106p.
Powell, C. B. (1986). Ecological effects of human activities on the value and resources of Nigerian wetlands: Pollution and aquatic fauna: Proceeding of Man and the biosphere state of knowledge workshop on Nigerian wetlands, 27-29 August, 1986.
Raymond, R. D. (1999). Agricultural research and the art of public awareness. 217-224. In R. S. V. Pullin. D. M. Bertley and J. Kooman (eds): Towards policies for conservation and sustainable use of aquatic genetic resources. ICLARM Conf. Proc. 59, 277p,
Reed, W., Burchard, J., Hopson, A. J., Jennes, J. and Yam, I. (1967). Fish and Fisheries of Northern Nigeria. Ministry of Agriculture, Northern Nigeria, Gaskiya, Zaria. 226pp.
Reid, M. G. and Sydenham, D. H. J. (1979). A checklist of lower Benue River fishes and an ichthyogeographical review of the Benue River (West Africa). J. Nat. Hist., 13(1): 41-67.
Robinson, A., 1995. Small and seasonal does not mean insignificant: Why it's worth standing up for tiny and temporary wetlands. J. Soil and Water Conserv., 50(6): 586-590.
Stiassny, M. (1981). The medium is the message: freshwater biodiversity in peril. In: Cracraft, J. and F. Griffo (Eds.). The living Planet in crisis: Biodiversity Science and Policy, Columbia University Press, New York. 53-71.
Stiassny, M. (1998). The medium is the message: freshwater biodiversity in peril. In: Cracraft, J. and F. Griffo (Eds.). The living Planet in crisis: Biodiversity Science and Policy, Columbia University Press, New York p. 53-71.
Teugels, G. G., Reid, M. and R. P. King (1992). Fishes of the Cross River basin (Cameroun-Nigeria) taxonomy, zoogeography, ecology and conservation, Ann. Mus. R. Afr. Centr., 266: 1-132.
Udo, I. U. (2012). Taxonomic composition, diversity and abundance of the ichthyofaunal assemblage of Iba-Oku stream, Ikpa River, Nigeria. International Journal of Zoology, 8(2): 71-81.
Welcomme, R. L. (2001). Inland Fisheries: Conservation and management, Blackwells, Oxford, 350.
Welman, J. B. (1948). Preliminary survey of the freshwater fisheries of Nigeria. The Government Printer, Lagos.
Wilcox, E. B. and Powell, C. B. (Eds) (1985). Proceedings of a workshop on the mangrove ecosystem of the Niger Delta. University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
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2021-08-08
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Articles
