Fishing by small commercial trawlers in the Visakhapatnam area has grown from about 4 trawlers operating in 1966 to 196 in 1986. Presently vast areas of fishing within 17°10' to 18°]0' N and 82°50' to 84° 10' E are covered in depth zones of 10-80 m. The fishing pattern and its seasonal variations have been pointed out. The trawling effort is mainly directed to catch prawns which constitutes 13.8% of the total trawl landings. Other important fishes caught in this gear are nemipterids 14.7%, lizardfish 11.1%, sciaenids 7.2%, ribbonfish 7.2%, silverbellies 6.7%, clupeoids 4.1%, perches 4.2%, crabs 4.0%, carangids 3.9% and cephalopods 3.4%. The major species of these groups, their season of abundance and size range in the fishery are presented. The possibility of Psenes imticus and Decapterus dayi as indicators of upwelling off Visakhapatnam has been pointed out.