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The resources of the Indian mackerel - characteristics, exploitation and future prospects

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Relation http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/4093/
 
Title The resources of the Indian mackerel - characteristics, exploitation and future prospects
 
Creator Yohannan, T M
Nair, P N Radhakrishnan
 
Subject Mackerel fishery
 
Description The Indian mackerel contributed to an annual average (1993-'99) catch of 2.17 lakh
tonnes (t). The west coast landed about 80% of its total catch and remaining by the
east coast. The resource is rich in upwelling areas of the west coast with a catch
contribution of 38.68% from Kerala followed by Kamataka and Maharashtra. The
fishery is characterized by annual fluctuations in the catch ranging from 0.14 lakh t
in 1968 to 2.9 lakh t in 1989. The annual fluctuations do not show any pattern;
whereas the decade! trends show a cyclic pattern of ups and downs. The fluctuations
are more pronounced along the upwelling areas of the west coast. In 1990s, there
was a quantum leap in the annual catch chiefly due to the introduction of large seine
nets and motorization of country crafts. The increase was maximum in Kerala,
moderate in Maharashtra and poor in Kamataka. Along the east coast also fishery
showed considerable improvement. Of late, the role of trawl net in the mackerel
fishery is gaining importance. The surface fishery using large seines along the upwelling
areas seems to depend very much on the intensity and duration of upwelling
which is perhaps causing the fluctuations in catch rather than the variations in the
abundance of the resource. The behaviour of the fish to ascend with upwelling and
spreading to deeper waters with sitiking of thermocline seem to control exploitation
and protect the resilience of the stocks. Perhaps the richness of the resource is much
stronger than hitherto believed. With proper management the production can reach
further heights.
 
Publisher CMFRI; Kochi
 
Contributor Pillai, N G K
Menon, N G
Pillai, P P
Ganga, U
 
Date 2002
 
Type Book Section
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/4093/1/3.pdf
Yohannan, T M and Nair, P N Radhakrishnan (2002) The resources of the Indian mackerel - characteristics, exploitation and future prospects. In: Management of Scombroid Fisheries. CMFRI; Kochi, Kochi, pp. 24-32.