Fishery and population dynamics of the ribbonfish Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus off Kakinada

Abstract

Along the Andhra Coast the ribbon6shes are landed on an averaF 9350 tlyear. They form 7.3% of the total marine fish production of Andhra Pradesh. The results of a, srudy wnductd during May 1986 - April 1987 at Kakinada are pwented here. Among theribbofishei. Trichiurus lcprutus was dominant, accounting for 84% of the ribbonfish catch and was abundant during January, March, May, September and October. The instantaneous rates of total (Z), natural (M) and fishing (F) mortalities were estimated at 3.16, 0.46 and 2.70 respedively. Tbe age at recruitmat was 0.37 yr and age at first capture (tc) was 0.98. By taking into accunt Fhe wn Bertlllanffj growth parameters of T. kpums, earlier estimated by tk premt author, the yield in weight per d t was calculated at different levels ol F and tc. 'lk exploitation rate was high at 0.82. This study shows that T. leplutus is heavily exploited in the present fishing grounds, which extend upto SO m depth, and there is hardly any mpe to step up production.