Tuna Fishery and Stock Assessment of Component Species off Chennai Coast

Abstract

All India tuna production continued to increase with fluctuations from 848 t in 1951 to 64,006 t in 2006, with a peak production of 64,006 t in 2006. During 1985-2006 it varied from 27,148 t in 1985 to 64,006 t in 2006 with annual average landings of 39,937 t. Annual average tuna production by different maritime states was 17,041 t (42.7%) by Kerala, 5,615 t (14.1%) by Gujarat, 5,000 t (12.5%) by Tamilnadu, 2,741 t (6.9%) by Lakshadweep, 2,812 (7.0%) Karnataka, 2,716 t (6.8%) by Maharashtra, 2,009 t (5.9%) by Andhrapradesh, 1,095 t (2.7%) by Goa, 444 t (1.1%) by Andaman & Nicobar Islands, 262 t (0.7%) by Pondicherry, 134 t (0.3%) by Orissa, 68 t (0.2%) by West Bengal. Tamilnadu catch varied from 1,336 t in 1985 to 10,912 t in 2006 with an average of 5,000 t forming 1.4% of total marine fish production during 1985-2006. Species composition of all India tuna catch was Euthynnus affinis (51.2%), Katsuwonus pelamis (4.1%), Thunnus tonggol (10.4%), Auxis spp. (20.7%) and other tunnies (13.6%) and the species composition of Tamilnadu was E. affinis (59.7%), K. pelamis (11.5), Auxis spp. (12.5%), T. tonggol (5.5%) and other tunas (10.8%).