Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Potential Yield Estimates for marine fisheries of Gujarat

 

Volume 61 Issue 2

Vinaya Kumar Vase, K. Rajan, J. Jayasankar, K. R. Sreenath, Koya K. Mohammed, D. Divu and Prathibha Rohit

10.6024/jmbai.2019.61.2.2134-09

Abstract

Gujarat is the leading maritime State in marine capture fisheries in the country with current (2018) contribution of 7.80 lakh tonnes. The landings and fishing effort spent has escalated by 46.34% and 25.46% respectively since 1994. The study estimated the potential yield (maximum sustainable yield) for the 24 resource groups by using catch and standardized effort (a modified version) as input into the surplus production model. The current fish catch to potential yield ratio (Ycurr/MSY) was found to be in the range of 0.25-1.54 for the groups, with maximum fishing pressure experienced by silverbellies. The overall potential yield estimated for the State was 9.20 lakh tonnes plus, which is higher than the present catch of 7.80 lakh tonnes. The current situation offers an opportunity to further increase the catch with an increased effort by reducing the fishing pressure in territorial waters. However, fishing effort can be raised for the underexploited large pelagic resources like tuna, seerfish, barracudas, large carangids, etc., which are captured mainly by large mesh gillnet or long lines in the region. The study also recommends more in-depth investigations on the catch by different fishing gear at species level estimation of the potential yield and validation of the same using alternate approaches

Keywords

 Catch, standardized effort, Ycurr/MSY, median catch

 

Date : 30-03-2020