Population parameters and exploitation rates of four commercial fish species of Awach Kibuon River: Towards sustainable management of riverine fisheries of the Lake Victoria Basin

The study estimated population parameters of four leading commercial fish species Awach Kibuon River in Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya to inform management interventions for sustainability. Length data were collected monthly from January December 2020 and length-frequency analysis conducted FiSAT II software utilizing ELEFAN I Routines. Exploitation rates (E = 0.63) Protopterus aethiopicus (Heckel, 1851) 0.56) Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) indicate overfished stocks > Eopt) whereas exploitation 0.31) Synodontis victoriae (Boulenger, 1906) 0.32) Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) signify optimal Eopt). There year-round recruitments with bi-modal annual pulses the populations O. niloticus, S. victoriae, P. aethiopicus. These results are crucial sustainable riverine fisheries Basin. This recommends reduction fishing pressure on C. enhance their