Length-weight Relationships of 30 Fish Species in Aby Lagoon, Southeastern Cote d? Ivoire

Most West African lagoons are very productive ecosystems that support important fishery activities. However, increases in human populations put heavy pressure on their resources. This raised the importance of sustainable management tools for these ecosystems. Length-Weight Relationships (LWRs) which is an important fish stock assessment tool was investigated in the Aby lagoon, southeastern Cote d'Ivoire. Fishes were caught monthly from February 2012 through March 2013 using gillnets. Fishes captured were identified, weighted to the nearest gram and standard length was measured to the nearest millimeter. The 30 fish species selected for this study belong to 18 families. The highest species number (n = 7) was recorded for Cichlidae family. All length-weight regressions were significant with a coefficient of determination (r²) varying from 0.462 (Parailia pellucida) to 0.984 (Elops lacerta). Growth coefficient, b of the LWR ranged from 2.229 (P. pellucida) to 3.811 (Eleotris vittata). Nineteen species exhibited negative allometric growth pattern while 11 had positive allometric growth. These results are useful references for West African coastal lagoon management and particularly for that of the Aby lagoon system.