Katana VentraIP

Nile perch

The Nile perch (Lates niloticus), also known as the African snook, Goliath perch, African barramundi, Goliath barramundi, Giant lates or the Victoria perch, is a species of freshwater fish in family Latidae of order Perciformes. It is widespread throughout much of the Afrotropical realm, being native to the Congo, Nile, Senegal, Niger and Lake Chad, Volta, Lake Turkana, and other river basins. It also occurs in the brackish waters of Lake Maryut in Egypt. The Nile perch is a fish of substantial economic and food-security importance in East Africa.[2] Originally described as Labrus niloticus, among the marine wrasses, the species has also been referred to as Centropomus niloticus. Common names include African snook, Victoria perch (a misleading trade name, as the species is not native to Lake Victoria, though they have been introduced there), and many local names in various African languages, such as the Luo name mbuta or mputa. In Tanzania, it is called sangara, sankara, or chenku. In Francophone African countries, it is known as capitaine. Its name in the Hausa language is giwan ruwa, meaning "water elephant".

Threats[edit]

Despite being a successful invasive species, the fish faces threats. Being a species of megafauna, the most obvious threats to the species are overfishing and the use of illegal fishing gear, as well as invasive water hyacinths. Prey depletion is also a factor, as it decreases the size of the fish and makes it vulnerable to larger predators, such as crocodiles.

Export[edit]

In 2021, The Uganda Fish Processors and Exporters Association called on the parliament to ban the local consumption of the species so as to protect its export.[21]

Religion[edit]

Nile perch were involved with the worship of Neith.[22] As a result nile perch were sometimes mummified.[22] A deposit of several thousand mummified perch was excavated in an area to the west of Esna where there was a temple to Neith.[23] Mummified perch have also been found at Gurob near a temple to Neith while perch statuettes have been found at Sais again in the context of a temple to Neith.[23]

— a similar-named but different fish that is much smaller and mostly feeds on plant matter

Nile tilapia

Beuving, J. J. 2010. "" Africa: Journal of the International African Institute 80 (2): 224–248.

Playing pool along the shores of Lake Victoria. Fishermen, careers and capital accumulation in the Ugandan Nile perch business

Beuving, J. J. 2013. "Chequered Fortunes in Global Exports: The Sociogenesis of African Entrepreneurship in the Nile Perch Business at Lake Victoria, Uganda" :10.1057/ejdr.2013.28

doi

Pringle, R.M. 2005. "The origins of the Nile perch in Lake Victoria." BioScience 55:780-787. :10.1641/0006-3568(2005)055[0780:TOOTNP2.0.CO;2]

doi

Pringle, R.M. 2005. "The Nile Perch in Lake Victoria: local responses and adaptations." Africa 75:510-538. :10.3366/afr.2005.75.4.510

doi

Masciarelli, Alex. "The rise and fall of the Nile Perch." March 15, 2007.

[1]

Socio-economic effects of the evolution of Nile perch fisheries in Lake Victoria: a review. J. Eric Reynolds and D.F. Greboval, CIFA Technical paper 17, FAO 1988,  92-5-102742-0 (online version)

ISBN

M.L. Bianchini (1995). Species introductions in the aquatic environment: changes in biodiversity and economics of exploitation. Proc. World Fish. Congress (Athens, 1992), 3: 213–222.

Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2004). in FishBase. October 2004 version.

"Lates niloticus"

. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved December 20, 2004.

"Lates niloticus"

Lipton, David. "". Animal Diversity Web. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, 2003.

Lates niloticus: Information

Snoeks, Jos. "". Global Invasive Species Database. Updated 22 September 2004.

Ecology of Lates niloticus

. "Alien Species Invade the Planet". Press release, 11 May 2001.

IUCN

National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural Library.

Species Profile - Nile Perch (Lates niloticus)