John Obbo Okaronon

Fisheries Research Institute, Jinja, Uganda

Monthly samples of total length for L. niloticus were obtained during the period 1994 to 1997 from the Uganda sector of Lake Victoria. A bottom trawl with a 25.4 mm mesh size in the codend was used for sampling in waters 4 – 50 meters deep.

The data are analysed to determine the length distribution of the species in respect to water depth and to obtain parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function. The results are compared with growth parameters published elsewhere and analysed in the context of a framework of length indicators for sustainable exploitation of this species.