Abundance, diversity and trophic status of wild fish around seaweed farms in Kibuyuni, South Coast Kenya

Abstract

Seaweed farms attract fish aggregations by providing microhabitats and food sources to fish. This study investigated the influence of seaweed farming on abundance, species diversity and trophic status of wild fish species in seaweed farms at Kibuyuni. Fish were sampled from a farmed and an unfarmed sites using traps and underwater visual census from September 2013 to July 2014. Results from trap sampling showed higher fish species abundance at the unfarmed site, whereas underwater sampling indicated greater fish species abundance at the farmed site. Species diversity and trophic status were not significantly different between study sites (p>0.05). The farmed exotic seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii occurred in stomachs of fish captured at the unfarmed site, indicating fish biomass transport between the study sites. There is need for creation of buffer zone around seaweed farms to limit possible overfishing of fish attracted to seaweed farms.