Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

The fishery and the socio-economic aspects of Modhwa, Gujarat

Volume 34 Issue 1&2

Rishad Pravez, Smitha Krishnan, A .P. Mansuri, R .M . Naik and M .S Murthy

Abstract

Modhwa, a small fishing village in Gujarat, has in the past decade bee" contributing substantially to the total fish catch landed in Kachchh District, Gujarat. The catch landed at Modhwa on an average comprises of 92.9% fish and 7.1 % prawn. The main fishes caught are Bombay-duck, golden anchovy, sharks, catfishes and mullets. The prawn fishery is supported more by penaeids than nonpenaeids.

The peak season for fishing is September to "April. Since the fishing is carried out in shallow waters using traditional crafts and gears, the percentage of juveniles caught every year is high. Mechanisation of locally used boats ' Machuwas ' has been" suggested to encourage the fishermen to fish in deeper waters. Social and economic aspects of the fishing community at Modhwa have also been studied and recommendations to improve their standard of living have been proposed.

Date : 31-10-1992