Results of exploratory trawl fishing on the continental slope of the south west coast of India by M.F.V. 'Kalava'

So far, extensive deep sea trawling, in waters beyond 100 fathom depths, has not been attempted in Indian waters except for occasional hauls taken by the INVESTIGATOR (Alcock, 1891-1900) and other Expedition vessels (Gunther, 1887, Max Weber, 1913. Norman, 1939). During March-May 1963 M.F.V. 'Kalava' of the Indo-Norwegian Project, carried out 9 exploratory cruises off Alleppey and Ponnani on the South West Coast of India at depths ranging between 150 to 205 fathoms (274-374 m.). Large quantities of bathypelagic fish were taken during these cruises, in areas on the continental slope (Fig. 1). 24 species belonging to 23 genera and 19 families have already been described by Tholasilingam et al. (1964). Nearly 82% of the catch was represented by about 11 bathypelagic species taken at the rate of up to 496 kg. per hour of trawl, in the richest grounds. Since such occurrence has not been recorded so far, a quantitative assessment of these bathypelagic fishes along with deep sea prawns, lobsters and squids, has been given in the following pape

Prospects on spiny lobster Panulirus Spp. culture in the east coast of India

A method for collecting large number of pueruli and post-pueruli of the spiny lobster Panulirus Sp. using different types of collectors suspended from a floating raft is described. Mangalore tile was found to be the best collector. For optimum collection of larvae the collectors should be suspended near the bottom. The best season for collecting the larvae was from February to May. The abundance of the larvae has been correlated with the current pattern of the locality, the shoreward current wafting in large number of just metamorphosed larvae towards the coast for settlement on the bottom

A study of the fishery and estimation of relative abundance of ground fish off cochin.

Attempts to explore the fishing grounds off Cochin made in October 1923 by 'Sea Scout', a powerful sea-going launch belonging to the Government of Madras (under the command of Capt. Crib), "proved a disappointment from the start both in design and equipment for fishing with a Danish seine net" (Gravely, 1929). Again, in 1928 'Lady Goschen'. another Madras Government vessel, carried put exploration 33 miles west and south-west off Cochin in depths ranging from 31 to 35 fathoms (Sunder Raj, 1930). Later, during September 1952. 'Tai-o-Maru' of the New India Fisheries Co. conducted some trawling between 13 and 26 fathoms north,-west of Cochin (George 1952). The results of these trials were not very encouraging

On some bathypelagic fishes taken from the continental slope off the South West Coast of India

The Indo-Norwegian Project exploratory fishing vessel M.F.V. Kalava carried out deep water trawling, between 160 and 200 fathoms, on the continental shelf, "off the Xeraia Coast during March/April 1963/ 24 species of deep sea fish", belonging to 23 genera and 19 families, from these catches are briefly described in the paper. Of these, 14 are new records for the Arabian Sea. Only select references, pertaining to fish fauna of the Indian Ocean region, are cited in the paper

Exploratory trawl fishing and ground fish resources along the Kerala coast and adjacent waters

The paper deals with exploratory fishing operations mainly trawling, conducted along Kerj^a Coast and adjacent waters since 1908. Early operations prior to 1950 demonstrated tlie occurrence of rich grounds for percoid fishes in the Cape Comorin area and good hand-line fkhiiig grounds off South Kerala Coast. Bull trawling in the Cannanore-Cape Comorin region by the vessels of the Deep Sea Fishing, Station of the Government of India showed that elasmobranchs and miscellaneous fish comprising small sciaenids, lizard fishes, flatheads, etc., were common for the area with a dominant catfish element in the Cannanoi«- Calicut sector, perch element south of AUeppey including Cape Comorin grounds and a transitional middle sector having a few catfishes and perches. Inshore otter trawl operations with medium-sized boats were increasingly carried out by the lndo>.Norwegian Project, Deep Sea Fishing Station and private agencies mainly centred around Coehin during; the last decade. Deep Sea Fishing Station operations in the region revealed a composition of about SO % miscellaaeous fish, 20-35% prawns, 8-14% Nemipterus japonicus, 6-14% elasmobranchs and 1-3% Laeiarius faciariiu. These operations showed the area between Calicut and Alleppey to be more productive, those off river and bar mouths yielding good quantity of prawns. The catch rate of prawns and fish increased steadily around Cochin from 1957 to 1961 and since then showed a slight decline. The picture is indicative of excessive fishing pressure over a limited area. This points to the necessity for even dispersal of fishing effort. Indo-Norwegian Project hand-line fishing operations provided considerable information regarding the 'Kalava' (Epinephelus spp.) resources of the rocky grounds on the continental shelf usually lying in 70-110 m depth zone off Kerala Coast. The occurrence of a variety of deep sea prawns, densely shoaling bathypelagic fishes like Cubiceps uatalensis, Chlorophthatmus spp., Antigonia spp., mid-water concentrations of balistids etc. have been found out along the Kerala Coast mainly by the fishing operations of the Indo-Norwegian Project. These as well as the "Kalava" resources could be better exploited with increased effort

Not Available

Not AvailableThe Indo-Norwegian Project exploratory fishing vessel M.F.V. Kalava carried out deep water trawling, between 160 and 200 fathoms, on the continental shelf, "off the Xeraia Coast during March/April 1963/ 24 species of deep sea fish", belonging to 23 genera and 19 families, from these catches are briefly described in the paper. Of these, 14 are new records for the Arabian Sea. Only select references, pertaining to fish fauna of the Indian Ocean region, are cited in the paper.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableThe Indo-Norwegian Project exploratory fishing vessel M.F.V. Kalava carried out deep water trawling, between 160 and 200 fathoms, on the continental shelf, "off the Xeraia Coast during March/April 1963/ 24 species of deep sea fish", belonging to 23 genera and 19 families, from these catches are briefly described in the paper. Of these, 14 are new records for the Arabian Sea. Only select references, pertaining to fish fauna of the Indian Ocean region, are cited in the paper.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableAttempts to explore the fishing grounds off Cochin made in October 1923 by 'Sea Scout', a powerful sea-going launch belonging to the Government of Madras (under the command of Capt. Crib), "proved a disappointment from the start both in design and equipment for fishing with a Danish seine net" (Gravely, 1929). Again, in 1928 'Lady Goschen'. another Madras Government vessel, carried put exploration 33 miles west and south-west off Cochin in depths ranging from 31 to 35 fathoms (Sunder Raj, 1930). Later, during September 1952. 'Tai-o-Maru' of the New India Fisheries Co. conducted some trawling between 13 and 26 fathoms north,-west of Cochin (George 1952). The results of these trials were not very encouraging.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableThe Indo-Norwegian Project exploratory fishing vessel M.F.V. Kalava carried out deep water trawling, between 160 and 200 fathoms, on the continental shelf,"off the Xeraia Coast during March/April 1963/ 24 species of deep sea fish", belonging to 23 genera and 19 families, from these catches are briefly described in the paper. Of these, 14 are new records for the Arabian Sea. Only select references, pertaining to fish fauna of the Indian Ocean region, are cited in the paper. The list of species describedNot Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableThe Indo-Norwegian Project exploratory fishing vessel M.F.V. Kalava carried out deep water trawling, between 160 and 200 fathoms, on the continental shelf,"off the Xeraia Coast during March/April 1963/ 24 species of deep sea fish", belonging to 23 genera and 19 families, from these catches are briefly described in the paper. Of these, 14 are new records for the Arabian Sea. Only select references, pertaining to fish fauna of the Indian Ocean region, are cited in the paper. The list of species describedNot Availabl