Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Fishery and population dynamics of the ribbonfish Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus off Kakinada

Volume 36 Issue 1&2

K. A. Narasimham

Abstract

Along the Andhra Coast the ribbonfishes are landed on an average 9,550 t/year. They form 7.3% of the total marine fish production of Andhra Pradesh. The results of a study conducted during May 1986 - April 1987 at Kakinada are presented here.

Among the ribbonfishes, Trichiurus lepturus was dominant, accounting for 84% of the ribbonfish catch and was abundant during January, March, May, September and October. The instantaneous rates of total (Z), natural (M) and fishing (F) mortalities were estimated at 3.16, 0.46 and 2.70 respectively. The age at recruitment was 0.37 yr and age at first capture (t_c) was 0.98. By taking into accunt the von Bertalanffy growth parameters of T. lepturus, earlier estimated by the present author, the yield in weight per recruit was calculated at different levels of F and t_c. The exploitation rate was high at 0.82. This study shows that T. lepturus is heavily exploited in the present fishing grounds, which extend upto 50 m depth, and there is hardly any scope to step up production

Date : 30-12-1994