Freshwater fisheries play a vital role in food security, employment generation, and livelihood support in Sudan; however, the recent armed conflict severely disrupted fish production, transportation networks, market operations, and consumer access to fish products. This study assessed fish species diversity, market conditions, and indicators of post-war recovery in the Khartoum Central Local Fish Market, one of the most important fish trading centers in Sudan. A descriptive field-based approach was employed, combining direct market observations with structured interviews involving fish vendors, fishermen, and consumers. Information on fish species composition, supply sources, market activity, fish prices, and product quality was collected and compared with conditions reported during the conflict period. The findings revealed moderate to high fish species diversity within the market, with species of the genus Oreochromis being the most abundant, followed by Clarias spp. and Lates niloticus. Market observations indicated increased fish availability and consumer attendance compared with wartime conditions, while fish prices showed a moderate decline, suggesting gradual stabilization of market dynamics and improved supply. The White Nile and Jebel Aulia Reservoir were identified as the primary post-war sources of fish supply, and sensory quality assessments demonstrated generally acceptable freshness of marketed fish. Despite these positive developments, several challenges remain, particularly unreliable electricity supply, inadequate cold-storage facilities, and limitations in market infrastructure. Overall, the results indicate that the Khartoum Central Local Fish Market is exhibiting clear signs of ecological and commercial recovery following the conflict; however, sustained recovery of the fisheries sector will require targeted investments in infrastructure, cold-chain development, and market support systems to enhance resilience and ensure long-term sustainability in post-conflict urban environments.
| Published in | Science Frontiers (Volume 7, Issue 3) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.sf.20260703.12 |
| Page(s) | 65-69 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Fish Diversity, Post-war Recovery, Local Fish Market, Khartoum, Sudan
Fish species | Scientific name | Availability | Relative abundance (%) | Pre-war presence | Main source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tilapia | Oreochromis spp. | High | 35 | Yes | White Nile, Jebel Aulia |
Nile perch | Lates niloticus | Moderate | 20 | Yes | White Nile, South Sudan |
Catfish | Clarias spp. | Moderate | 18 | Yes | White Nile, Kosti |
Bagrus | Bagrus spp. | Low | 10 | Yes | White Nile |
Synodontis | Synodontis spp. | Low | 9 | Yes | White Nile |
Labeo | Labeo spp. | Rare | 8 | Yes | White Nile |
Supply source | Approx. distance (km) | Main species | Status during war | Status post-war |
|---|---|---|---|---|
White Nile | 30–50 | Tilapia, Catfish | Disrupted | Improved |
Jebel Aulia | 40 | Tilapia, Nile perch | Limited | Improved |
Wad Medani | 180 | Labeo, Tilapia | Interrupted | Partially restored |
Kosti | 350 | Catfish, Bagrus | Restricted | Improved |
South Sudan | >500 | Nile perch | Unavailable | Unavailable |
Fish species | Color (1–5) | Odor (1–5) | Texture (1–5) | Overall quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Oreochromis spp. | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | High |
Lates niloticus | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.1 | High |
Clarias spp. | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.9 | Moderate–High |
Bagrus spp. | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.6 | Moderate |
Synodontis spp. | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.5 | Moderate |
Labeo spp. | 3.5 | 3.3 | 3.4 | Moderate |
Fish species | Head (%) | Viscera (%) | Skin & fins (%) | Muscle (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Oreochromis spp. | 28 | 12 | 10 | 50 |
Lates niloticus | 30 | 10 | 10 | 50 |
Clarias spp. | 26 | 14 | 10 | 50 |
Bagrus spp. | 29 | 13 | 9 | 49 |
Synodontis spp. | 27 | 15 | 10 | 48 |
Labeo spp. | 28 | 14 | 10 | 48 |
Indicator | During war | Post-war | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
Species diversity | Low | Moderate–High | Increasing |
Fish availability | Limited | Improved | Increasing |
Fish prices | High | Moderate | Decreasing |
Consumer attendance | Low | Increased | Increasing |
Cold storage | Poor | Poor–Moderate | Slight improvement |
Electricity | Unreliable | Unreliable | No change |
FAO | Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
HLPE | High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security & Nutrition |
IFPRI | International Food Policy Research Institute |
UNEP | United Nations Environment Programme |
spp. | Multiple Species Within a Genus |
| [1] | Abbas Bakhiet, H. H. A., Hamid, I. M., Ali, R. M. & Abdulla, M. (2023) ‘Proximate composition of Malapterurus electricus & Gymnarchdae niloticus fish from Khartoum fish market’, Mathews Journal of Veterinary Science, 7(1), Article 18. |
| [2] | Abdalla, A. A. & Adam, E. E. (2024) ‘Diversity & distribution of freshwater fish species in Sudanese inl& waters’, African Journal of Aquatic Science, 49(1), pp. 45–58. |
| [3] | Ahmed, A. & Elhaj, M. (2021). Post–conflict recovery of local markets in Darfur: challenges & prospects. Sudan Social Science Review, 9(1), pp. 30–47. |
| [4] | Ahmed, A. & Hassan, M. (2019) ‘Armed conflict & fisheries governance in developing countries’, Marine Policy, 108, pp. 103–110. |
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| [6] | FAO (2022). Impact of displacement on local food markets in Sudan: Case study on fish markets. Rome: Food & Agriculture Organization. |
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APA Style
Bakhiet, H. H. A., Ibrahim, R. (2026). Fish Diversity Assessment in Khartoum Central Local Fish Market During the Post-war Period. Science Frontiers, 7(3), 65-69. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sf.20260703.12
ACS Style
Bakhiet, H. H. A.; Ibrahim, R. Fish Diversity Assessment in Khartoum Central Local Fish Market During the Post-war Period. Sci. Front. 2026, 7(3), 65-69. doi: 10.11648/j.sf.20260703.12
@article{10.11648/j.sf.20260703.12,
author = {Haram Hassan Abbas Bakhiet and Rasheda Ibrahim},
title = {Fish Diversity Assessment in Khartoum Central Local Fish Market During the Post-war Period},
journal = {Science Frontiers},
volume = {7},
number = {3},
pages = {65-69},
doi = {10.11648/j.sf.20260703.12},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sf.20260703.12},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sf.20260703.12},
abstract = {Freshwater fisheries play a vital role in food security, employment generation, and livelihood support in Sudan; however, the recent armed conflict severely disrupted fish production, transportation networks, market operations, and consumer access to fish products. This study assessed fish species diversity, market conditions, and indicators of post-war recovery in the Khartoum Central Local Fish Market, one of the most important fish trading centers in Sudan. A descriptive field-based approach was employed, combining direct market observations with structured interviews involving fish vendors, fishermen, and consumers. Information on fish species composition, supply sources, market activity, fish prices, and product quality was collected and compared with conditions reported during the conflict period. The findings revealed moderate to high fish species diversity within the market, with species of the genus Oreochromis being the most abundant, followed by Clarias spp. and Lates niloticus. Market observations indicated increased fish availability and consumer attendance compared with wartime conditions, while fish prices showed a moderate decline, suggesting gradual stabilization of market dynamics and improved supply. The White Nile and Jebel Aulia Reservoir were identified as the primary post-war sources of fish supply, and sensory quality assessments demonstrated generally acceptable freshness of marketed fish. Despite these positive developments, several challenges remain, particularly unreliable electricity supply, inadequate cold-storage facilities, and limitations in market infrastructure. Overall, the results indicate that the Khartoum Central Local Fish Market is exhibiting clear signs of ecological and commercial recovery following the conflict; however, sustained recovery of the fisheries sector will require targeted investments in infrastructure, cold-chain development, and market support systems to enhance resilience and ensure long-term sustainability in post-conflict urban environments.},
year = {2026}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Fish Diversity Assessment in Khartoum Central Local Fish Market During the Post-war Period AU - Haram Hassan Abbas Bakhiet AU - Rasheda Ibrahim Y1 - 2026/07/08 PY - 2026 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sf.20260703.12 DO - 10.11648/j.sf.20260703.12 T2 - Science Frontiers JF - Science Frontiers JO - Science Frontiers SP - 65 EP - 69 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2994-7030 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sf.20260703.12 AB - Freshwater fisheries play a vital role in food security, employment generation, and livelihood support in Sudan; however, the recent armed conflict severely disrupted fish production, transportation networks, market operations, and consumer access to fish products. This study assessed fish species diversity, market conditions, and indicators of post-war recovery in the Khartoum Central Local Fish Market, one of the most important fish trading centers in Sudan. A descriptive field-based approach was employed, combining direct market observations with structured interviews involving fish vendors, fishermen, and consumers. Information on fish species composition, supply sources, market activity, fish prices, and product quality was collected and compared with conditions reported during the conflict period. The findings revealed moderate to high fish species diversity within the market, with species of the genus Oreochromis being the most abundant, followed by Clarias spp. and Lates niloticus. Market observations indicated increased fish availability and consumer attendance compared with wartime conditions, while fish prices showed a moderate decline, suggesting gradual stabilization of market dynamics and improved supply. The White Nile and Jebel Aulia Reservoir were identified as the primary post-war sources of fish supply, and sensory quality assessments demonstrated generally acceptable freshness of marketed fish. Despite these positive developments, several challenges remain, particularly unreliable electricity supply, inadequate cold-storage facilities, and limitations in market infrastructure. Overall, the results indicate that the Khartoum Central Local Fish Market is exhibiting clear signs of ecological and commercial recovery following the conflict; however, sustained recovery of the fisheries sector will require targeted investments in infrastructure, cold-chain development, and market support systems to enhance resilience and ensure long-term sustainability in post-conflict urban environments. VL - 7 IS - 3 ER -