Marine fisheries of Andhra Pradesh: a decadal analysis

Abstract

The average annual marine fish landing of Andhra Pradesh during 2000-2010 was 1.99 lakh t. Fishing effort declined by 33% and 9% in terms of fishing units and fishing hours respectively. Pelagic finfishes contributed 55.6% to the total marine catch, followed by demersal finfishes (27%), crustaceans (14.4%) and molluscs (1.1%). Trawl nets contributed 44.24% to the total catch, followed by gillnets (23.95%). Oilsardine landings fluctuated between a maximum of 19125 t in 2000 and a minimum of 1068 t in 2002. Mackerel landings fluctuated between a maximum of 22763 t in 2009 and a minimum of 6418 t in 2007. Carangids and tunas registered continuous increase in catch over the years; the former from 9964 t in 2000 to 13268 t in 2010 and the latter from 2899 t in 2000 to 10515 t in 2010. Around one third of the tuna landing was contributed by the yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, caught mainly by hooks and lines. Their landing increased on an average at Visakhapatnam from a meager 395 t during 2001-2005 to 2918 t during 2006-2010. Landings of some of the demersal resources namely, threadfin breams, croakers, lizardfishes and goatfishes increased substantially during the period. Threadfin bream increased by 348.9% from 1209 t in 2000 to 5427 t in 2010, croakers by 50.8% from 8054 t in 2000 to 12142 t in 2010, lizard fish by 297.7% from 1062 t in 2000 to 4224 t in 2010 and goat fish by 129.3% from 3501 t in 2000 to 8027 t in 2010. Among crustacean resources crabs showed the highest increase in landings by 125.4% from 2791 t in 2000 to 6292 t in 2010. The landing of penaeid prawns increased by 21% from 22657 t in 2000 to 27408 t in 2010, while non-penaeid prawn landings decreased by 12.3% from 2685 t in 2000 to 2354 t in 2010. Cephalopod resources have also shown a substantial increase of 282% during the period ranging from 1011 t in 2000 to 3862 t in 2010. The assessment of trawl fishery at Visakhapatnam from 2007 to 2010 with reference to yield/recruit indicated that two (Metapenaeus monoceros and Portunus sanguinolentus) out of the twelve commercially important resources are currently overexploited and one resource (Pennahia macrophthalmus) is optimally exploited.