Observations on the paddy-field prawn filtration of Kerala, India

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to determine whether culture methods could be advantageously introduced into the existing prawn filtration practices in the paddy fields of Kerala, on the southwest coast of India. The pattern of the fisher.y is changing, with the demand for small prawns decreasing and that for large prawns increasing. The experiments indicated that culturing of juvenile prawns for about a month resulted in relatively better catches of large sized prawns than could be obtained by cultivation for longer periods. The yield of prawns appeared to be better during the spring tide period associated with the full moon than that associated with the new moon; this is correlated with the increased tidal gradient at full moon. The fishery mainly concerns four species of penaeid prawns