Oyster resources of Athankarai estuary, southeast coast of India

Abstract

The oyster Crassostrea madrasensis is distributed at several places along the east and southwest coasts of India (Rao 1969, Alagarswami and Narasimham 1973) and has good economic potential but so far resources survey of the shellfish populations has not been carried out in any area. Estimates of the standing stocks are essential for planning exploitation of the oyster resources. A precise knowledge of the natural stocks and the ecological conditions in which they abound is especially necessary to plan and conduct oyster culture which is essential for large scale exploitation. Beds of oysters bslonging to the species Crassostrea madrasensis are present in Athankarai Estuary at Athankarai near Mandapam Camp on the southeast coast of India. The highly nutritious shellfish resources are not exploited by people of the area for food. Only occasionally oyster shells are collected and burnt in small kilns and converted into lime. The oyster resources of the estuary have been surveyed. The general features of the Athankarai estuary, hydrological conditions, ecologically associated fauna and flora, distribution and magnitude of standing stocks of oysters, and seasonal changes in meat of oysters have been studied and the results are presented here.