On the line fishery for Rastrelliger kanagurta (Cuvier), along the north Kanara Coast

Abstract

It is well known that line fishing is very important in the fisheries of many scombroids like tuna, seerfish, sail fish etc. However, instances of the Indian mackerel being caught in lines have received little attention. Perhaps, the only mention is of a small quantity landed at Vizhingam during 1960-6] . The Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) has been known to be caught by lines. Bigelow and Schroeder (1953), report that angling for mackerel had been common along the coast of United States and it was not unusual for 3 or 4 anglers fishing from a party boat to bring in one or two hundred fish. Nedelec (1958), describes angling for mackerel along the North French coast and states that in 12 hours 600 to 800 kg. of the fish were landed.