Is the fishery of the introduced Tanganyika sardine (Limnothrissa miodon) in Lake Kivu (East Africa) sustainable?

Limnothrissa miodon, a small pelagic clupeid fish introduced at the end of the 1950s into Lake Kivu, became an important resource for the human populations of this area. The total stock of pelagic fish populations of this lake was estimated in 2008 by two hydroacoustic surveys, using an EK60 split-beam sounder (frequency 70 kHz). The total fish stocks were estimated to be approximately 5000 t in the rainy season and 6000 tons in the dry season. These values are similar to previous estimations performed in the 1980s. During 2008, the stock did not fluctuate throughout the seasons; however, the spatial distributions were different in the two hydrological seasons. Interestingly, the L. miodon stock has appeared to remain stable over the last two decades, which suggests that the pelagic fishery in Lake Kivu has not been overexploited and that it is sustainable.

► Limnothrissa miodon has been introduced into Lake Kivu at the end of the 1950s.
► L. miodon population is an important resource for human populations.
► Fish stock is similar to previous estimations performed in the 1980s.
► Fish stock appears to be stable opposite to previous prediction.