Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Exploited fishery resources of the Vembanad Lake: 4. Estimates of marketable surplus of production.

Volume 37 Issue 1&2

B. Madhusoodana Kurup, M. J. Sebastain, T. M. Sankaran and P. Rabindranath.

Abstract

The exploited fish and shellfish are disposed off through 51 markets located in and around the lake. 32 landing centres are also identified through which the majority of the landings are disposed into these markets. The highest quantity is sold at Kolthumkadavu market of Vaikom, followed by Shertallai, Udayamperoor and Chandiroor. The marketable surplus production is computed at 4298.97 tonnes comprising of 2647.10 t of fishes, 910.70 t of penacides, 272.88 t of palaemonids, 120.89 t of crabs and 348.09 t of calm meat 110 species of fishes, 6 species of penaeids, 3 species each of palemonids and crabs and the meat of Villorita cyprinoides are sold through these 51 markets. Among the marketed quantities, the first five positions are occupied by Metapenaeus dobsoni, Etroplus suratenisis, Macrobrachium idella, Sarotherodon mossambicus and Etroplus maculatus. Of the exploited fishery resources of the lake, 80% fishes arrive in the markets in contrast to 26% of penaeids and 42.56% of crabs. A species level assessment reveals that while only 20.1% of Penaeus indicus reaches the markets, 26% each of Macrobrachium resenbergii and Scylla serrata, 34.67 and 38.69% respectively are the marketable surplus productions. The difference between the estimates of the exploited resources and the marketable surplus accounted for by the quantities that are being bypassed either into processing plants or for consumption in houses and hotels.

Date : 30-12-1995