Variation of limnological parameters in a tropical lake used for tilapia cage farming

• We calculated the trophic state index (TSI) for a tropical lake and verified the effect of fish farm on the water quality.
• We measured limnological parameters for a year around.
• Palminhas was classified as mesotrophic. The fish farm cause a negative effect on water quality.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of tilapia cage culture on the water quality and sediment of Palminhas Lake during both the dry and rainy seasons. Eight sites within the lake (four in fish farms and four in areas without fish farms) and one site on an affluent stream were sampled monthly from February 2011 to January 2012. Dissolved oxygen and pH were significantly lower at fish farm sites than at locations without farms, while chlorophyll a was higher at fish farm sites. Moreover, large seasonal variations were observed, which were not related to the fish farms. The Secchi disc depth and ammonia nitrogen level were significantly higher during the dry season, but temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, total phosphorus and chlorophyll a were significantly higher during the rainy season. The affluent stream contributed substantially to lake eutrophication. Palminhas Lake is mesotrophic and has exhibited a progressive worsening in water quality over the past 20 years. These changes were not caused by fish farming alone but probably by other anthropic activities in the areas surrounding the lake.