Present status of coastal tuna fishery at Vizhinjam, Trivandrum coast

Abstract

The coastal tuna fishery of Kerala, which has been yielding about 6,000 tonnes annually in recent years, constitutes 32% of the total tuna landings of the country. A district-wise analysis of the tuna production during 1979-'81 indicated that 70% of the total tuna landings in the state was from the coasital fishery along Trivandrum district. At Vizhinjam, where fishing goes on all through the year, coastal tunas constitute a major pelagic fish resource accounting for 20% of the total marine fish landings. Since the prime requirement of tuna fishery developmsnt in the area seems to be the improvement of the existing small-scale fishery sector, knowledge on the present status of the fishery appears to be a basic necessity for the planning of further development in this sector. In addition, when the fishery harbour under construction at Vizhinjam becomes operational, mechanised fishing for tunas is bound to increase in the area and this also requires information on the catch trend and seasons of abundance of various species for the management of fishing fleet.