Lizardfishes (Saurido spp) are caught all along the Karnataka coast by multiday trawlers from the 20-60 m depth watera during November-May season. The annual production during the 35 year period of 1960-94 showed an overall increasing trend but with wide fluctuations. Ihe catch varied from nil in several years (1961, 1962,. 1967 and 1973) to as high as 2,967 t in 1988. The annual average catch of 1,648 t (1985-94) formed 5.65% of the demersal finfish catch and 0.92% of the.total fish catch of the state and 7.13% of the total lizardfish catch of the country. During 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons,Mangalore fishing port recorded an avenge of 617 t, Malpe 450 f, Bhatkal 23 t and Karwar 88 t. The peak period of abundance was January-May. Of the three species supporting the fishery, S. tumbil is the moat dominant species forming a%, while the other two species, S. undasqumis and S. isarankurai shared the rest on an almost equal basis. Scope for further increase in the catch from deeper waters as revealed by exploratory surveys is also discussed.

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