Join Daniel Samson to explore in detail about endangered Manyara Tilapia in Lake Manyara.

Stocks of Manyara tilapias have plummeted to alarmingly low levels in recent decades due to unsustainable fishing. 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species Report 2006 shows that the area of occurrence of the fish, which previously accounted for 73.6% of the total catch in the region, has shrunk from 5,000 km2 to 1800 km2 in recent decades.

As a result, the fish is now listed as an endangered species by the IUCN because of driving forces, including overfishing and pollution.

The fish can only be found in the soda lakes of north-central Tanzania: Lakes Manyara, Kitangiri, Singida, Kindai, and Sulunga. 

Researchers argue that 20 years have passed since the last estimation of fish caught from Lake Manyara. The current stock of Tilapia in the lake is unknown.

The lake's proximity to villages, including Barabarani, Migombani, Majengo, and Oltukai, has led to an overdependence on its resources, with many locals relying on fishing for daily sustenance. 

Using illegal nets to maximize catches has further exacerbated the problem, significantly reducing fish populations and shifting towards smaller-sized fish.