title: Environmental impacts of cage culture in Lake Victoria: the case of Shirati Bay-Sota, Tanzania.
abstract: The experimental cage culture was conducted at Shirati bay, Lake Victoria from February to August 2013, to investigate the impacts of the small scale cage culture on the environment. Three locations along the cages, at the intermediate and one in the offshore (control) were sampled for water quality parameters, phytoplankton and macro invertebrates. A notable increase in nutrient concentration was observed after the set of cages among the stations. However DO, pH, and water transparency showed no major changes and was within the recommended ranges. Cyanophytes an indicator of inorganic pollution dominated before and after the set of cages, an increase in phytoplankton numerical abundance was observed after stocking of fish in cages. In addition there was an increase in the invertebrate community especially bivalves and gastropods. In conclusion we found no consistent environmental change caused by cage culture, and therefore it can be allowed in Lake Victoria, Tanzania part, with close monitoring of its impacts.
authors.affiliation: Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), P. O. Box 475, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Benedicto Boniphace
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Kashindye
authors.affiliation: Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), P. O. Box 46, Sota, Shirati, Mara region, Tanzania.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nsinda
authors.affiliation: Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), P. O. Box 475, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kayanda
authors.affiliation: Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), P. O. Box 475, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Ngupula
authors.affiliation: Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), P. O. Box 475, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mashafi
authors.affiliation: Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), P. O. Box 475, Mwanza, Tanzania.
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Ezekiel
keywords: Cage culture; Nutrient enrichment; Waste food; Water quality