Abstract :
[en] This study has three main objectives: (1) to obtain an inventory of the ichthyofauna of the Mono River that is as complete as possible; (2) to study the ecology of this ichthyofauna; and (3) to document the impact of fishing on the exploited stocks based on two targeted species. The inventory was made by compiling the literature, by studying collections of museums and of other institutions and by several sampling campaigns, conducted between February 2011 and March 2014. This resulted in an inventory of 91 fish species belonging to 67 genera, 42 families and 14 orders. The Perciformes (31 species), Siluriformes (18), Osteoglossiformes (10), Cypriniformes (9) and Characiformes (9) are the most diverse families in the Mono River Basin. The most species-rich families are the Cichlidae (9 espèces), Cyprinidae (9), Mormyridae (7), Clariidae (7) and Alestidae (6). Twenty-nine species, of which 7 of freshwater and 22 of marine or estuarine origin have been added to the ichtyofauna as known before this study. Nine species present in museum collections and three species only known from the literature have not been collected again. Several taxonomic problems have been encountered. Two of these cases were studied in depth. Foremost, the taxonomic status of Brycinus leuciscus and B. luteus (Alestiidae, Characiformes) was revised based on specimens originating from the complete distribution range of the two nominal species. This allowed us to synonymise the two species, with Brycinus leuciscus as senior synonym. The latter has been erroneously mentioned from the Mono River. Our results, however, confirmed the presence of two phenotypes, i.e. one with and one without a pre-dorsal hump, which was mentioned in the literature as intra-specific variation in B. leuciscus. A comparative study comparing specimens belonging to 'Barbus' nigeriensis (Cyprinidae, Cypriniformes) of the Mono Basin with those originating from the basins of the Volta, the Ogun et the Niger revealed the presence of a new species, described as Barbus "Vandewalle", a Volta Basin endemic. An indentification key of the different families, genera and species from the Mono Basin is presented.
For the ecological study, two seasonal sampling campaigns were performed (from December to mid-March and from mid-July to mid-September) in 2012 and 2013 using gill nets of different mesh-size (10, 12, 17, 20 et 22 mm knot to knot). Sampling was performed at 10 sampling sites that were located upstream and downstream of the Adjarala Falls (the site of a planned hydroelectric plant, 100 km upstream of that of Nangbéto) and upstream and downstream of the dam at Nangbéto. Seventeen physico-chemical and environmental variables were taken at these sites. The ordination of the sampling sites in relation to their values for the physico-chemical, environmental variables and to their fish assemblages was studied using a non-linear method: the self organising map (SOM). The samples were scattered in four groups in function of their physico-chemical and environmental variables. The distance to the source, height of the canopy, rocks, coverage of the canopy, altitude, gravel, mud, sand, water velocity and dissolved oxygen were the most discriminating factors for the obtained groups. The zone of the Adjarala, where a new dam will be constructed, differs by its rocky substrate, the velocity of the water and the relatively high amount of dissolved oxygen. For the ichthyofauna, the SOM suggest a structuring in three groups.
Our results oppose the tendency to homogeny in the middle course of rivers, which is probably due to the presence of the dam at Nangbéto. A significant correlation was found between the distribution of the species and the physico-chemical and environmental parameters. The distance to the source, altitude, forested river banks, height of the canopy, velocity of the water, conductivity, transparency and pH were the parameters that explained the distribution of the fish community best. The level of disturbance of the ecosystem, which was studied using the Abundance Biomass Comparison (ABC) showed that the zones at and near the dam at Nangbéto were the most stressed.
A length-weight and length-length key was designed for the first time for the 37 species that were the most abundant in the catches. This was done in order to improve the quality of the fisheries statistics collected by fisheries officers on the scale of the basin. The analysis of the allometric coefficient b of the length-weight relation showed that the majority of the fishes had an allometric growth. The condition factor calculated in order to estimate the amount of flesh on the fish showed that the environment was heavily disturbed.
To conclude, from the results of the study on the impact of the fisheries on targeted species, it became clear that the population of Sarotherodon melanotheron melanotheron is over-exploited at Lake Toho. At Lakes Doukon and Togbadji, on the other hand, an under-exploitation of the population of S. galilaeus galilaeus was observed. The latter illustrates the possibility of sustainable management even in the presence of intensive fishing pressure. As, in this thesis, several cases of anthropogenic impacts were identified, a regular surveillance programme will be paramount in order to preserve the ichthyological diversity of the Mono River Basin.
