Riverine fishery, lakes, dams and fish diversity in water bodies in Amhara region: Review

Abstract

This review paper assesses riverine fishery, lakes, dams or reservoir, and fish diversity in water bodies in Amhara Region. Amhara National Regional State (ANRS) is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. It is located in the north western and north-central part of Ethiopia. Amhara region has a rich diversity of ichthyofauna in its lakes, rivers, dams and reservoirs, although they are poorly known in terms of potential and taxonomic characteristics. Amhara region has 9 lakes, 4 know dams or reservoirs, 497 annually flow rivers, 297 seasonal flowers and 2860 streams. So the region is the riches water resource in Ethiopia. It has native and exotic fish species in different water bodies. Lake tana is the biggest lakes in Ethiopia and it founds in amhara region. In this region there are three major water shade area which namely Abbay, Tekeze and Awash and they are rcich resource in riverine fishry. Tekeze, Koka and Rib dams or reservoir are an artificial lakes, covers a total area of 16000, 1800, and 20000 hectare lands respectively. Blue Nile and Tekeze rivers are more rich riverine fish diversity rather than other rivers. Common aquaculture fish species found in the region (Oreochromis niloticus, Clarius gariepinus and C. carpio).