Space occupancy of fish catching longline traps across inland semi-sahel small lake Kelguin, Burkina Faso

Abstract

ABSTRACT Longlines are amongst the most effective types of fishing gear for the environmental conservation of species in inland waters. Their uncontrolled use, can still lead to clogging and even aquatic eutrophication. The Small Lake Keguin (SLK) is predominantly longline-fishing, with an overcrowding consequent impact on all parts of that aquatic ecosystem. To ensure an environmental conservation of SLK, we conducted an experimental monitoring survey about Longline Fish Trap (LFT) along SLK. Both descriptive output and linear model were developed to determine the space LFT occupancy across SLK. Overall, three transects characterized the SLK, and should serve for future lake conservation investigations. LFT length and width are determined by a linear regression. The LFT length as function of LFT width showed an opposite pattern, as such: adjusted r-squared = 0.15 vs p -value = 0.004886. However, the coefficient of stakes variation across transects is consistent with regard to the expectation and the observation made on field. The immerged LFT height and the non-immerged LFT height showed similar metric pattern. The vertical occupancy of LFTs is proportionally distributed according to the surface area occupied by that fishing gear. The variation in the transect-measured LFT altitudes follow the same trend in term of the surface areas of all the lake parts and sections. SLK is worth rationally use through a climate adaptation initiative. Towards that purpose, designing conservation, restoration and ecological plan for SLK requires including both natural and social dimensions of LFT use.