Trends in secondary production in the inshore waters of the seas around India

Abstract

CMFRI has been monitoring the microscopic organisms which belong to the categories of phyto and zooplanktons, being a reliable tool for the identification of areas prone to industrial and natural pollution and for understanding its extent and intensity, especially in the inshore areas selected centres along the Indian coasts.These studies assist in foretelling any alarming situations developed in the living environment that may affect the commercially important resources adversely. The pattern of the occurrence and abundance of zooplankton along the Indian coasts from Bombay on the west coast upto Madras on the east coast were described.The samples were collected from Bombay, Karwar, Calicut, Vizhinjam, Tuticorin, Mandapam and Madras. In conclusion,the rate of secondary production on the west as well as on the east coasts during the 1981-82 period was comparatively lesser than during the previous year.