Project Update: June 2010

We have started the project and made the first trip to the project sites and identified sampling sites at Arno-Garno River (a combination of two rivers-Arno and Garno) and its mouth at the shore of Lake Tana. We have identified seven sites at the main river, tributaries and the river mouth for sampling. Originally we proposed five sites, but we find more tributaries that are logistically not difficult to sample so we increased our sites to seven. Five of the sites are on the main road since the main rivers and their tributaries cross the main road while two are at the river mouth (junction with Lake Tana) and 2 km up stream of the river mouth. These sites are some 12-14 km from the main road and are not accessible by car during the rainy season (this time we were able to reach them by car). So we need to walk or use animals for transport during the rainy season. Fortunately, we have met several fishermen operating in the area and they have small boats and a shade which we can make use of around the river mouth; they promised also to be very helpful during the sampling periods. They are also our targets for creating awareness about the migratory species, which they know very little about.

The water was still low (rainfall has just started) and the fishes have not yet started migrating upstream for spawning and fish sampling will start in mid-July 2010.