WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF FISH FARMS AND IMPLICATIONS OF WASTE WATER IN LAGOS LAGOON

Discharge of effluents from aquaculture practice has been on increase in coastal areas such as Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, which could lead to eutrophication and destruction of natural ecosystem in the receiving water body. Variations of water quality in fish farms in three agricultural zones in Lagos State were evaluated using multivariate statistical technique such as cluster analysis (CA) to analyze the temporal variations of water quality during fish production. Water quality data were generated from 8 fish farms (4 earthen ponds and 4 concrete tanks) at 2 production cycles. The water samples were monitored and analyzed for 9 physico-chemical parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature, total ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, alkalinity, hardness and transparency. Results showed a significant difference (p<0.05) in the investigated parameters between the fish farms and control farms indicating poor management practices. Cluster analysis revealed two groups in 4 earthen pond fish farms and two groups in 4 concrete tank fish farms based on similarities of water quality. This study recommended waste water treatment plants and integrated fish farming in farms along coastal areas.   Keywords: Effluent, Fish farm, physicochemical parameters, Water quality

Primary Presenter: Nkechi Achilike, NIGERIAN INSTITUTE FOR OCEANOGRAPHY AND MARINE RESEARCH, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS NIGERIA (nkechi780@gmail.com)

Authors:

Nkechi Achilike, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research  (nkechi780@gmail.com)

Lucian Chukwu, University of Lagos, Nigeria  (obinnalcunilag@yahoo.com)