An overview on the present status and future prcrdpects of pelagic finfish resources of India

Abstract

Theresults of the studies on stock assessment made on I I commercially important pelagic fish grwps such as oil sardine, lesser sardines, whitebaits, mackerel, tunas and billfishes, seerfihes, pomfmts, carangids, ribbonfishes. Bombay duck and Hilsa shadbased on the data of 1984-88 arepresented. Detailed analysis of the production and estimatedcatchable potential of major pelagic fish groups from the initial stages of mechaniza- tion torccent years and in the traditional fishing areasof both thecoasts of India areindc The species which havereached theoptimal level of exploitation and those which hold potential for fiuther exploitation have been described. Theresults indicatedthat the stocksof oil sardine, mackerel,tunas, sec?rfishes, pomfnts and Bombay duck in the traditional fishing grounds areexploited to or beyond their maximum sustainable yield, whereas lesser sardines, whitebaits and all& species, oceanic tunas frequenting the shelf waters. carangids and ribbonfishes have potential for marginal increase. Options open to obtain incnase in production to the level of potential estimatesare briefly discussed,and the necessity of beaupost-harvest utilion of these finfishes pointed wt.