Biology of The Nile Perch Lates niloticus (Pisces: centropomidae) with reference to its proposed role as a sport fish in Australia

Abstract

The Nile perch Lates niloticus has been proposed for introduction to Australia to establish sport fisheries in tropical impoundments. Three lines of evidence suggest that the introduction would be potentially disastrous for Australian aquatic fauna. The lower temperature tolerance of the species and analysis of water temperatures in rivers of eastern Australia indicate that its range would extend to temperate regions in the country, thus endangering established fisheries for native species. The introduction of the Nile perch, an opportunistic predator, to Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga in eastern Africa has caused a drastic decrease in species diversity and fish biomass. L. niloticus is not restricted to lacustrine habitats, and its biology indicates that it could colonise and adversely affect the fauna in a broad range of freshwater habitats in Australia. The risks associated with the proposed introduction are considered to outweigh the potential benefits. Consequently, the agency responsible for the evaluation programme has abandoned the concept of introducing the Nile perch to Australia.