Status of marine fisheries in Gujarat with strategies for sustainable and responsible fisheries

Gujarat with about 20% (1600 km) of the country’s coastline, 33% of the continental shelf area (1,64,000 sq. km) and over 2,00,000 sq. km of EEZ ranks second among the maritime states in marine fish production. The marine fish production in the state has shown a declining trend from 2002 (4.68 lakh tons) to 2005 (3.56 lakh tons) with promising increase by 42.7 % to 5.08 lakh tons during 2006. There is a conspicuous change in the resource composition over the years with quality fishes like pomfrets, larger sciaenids, threadfins and penaeid prawns being replaced by low value fishes such as ribbonfishes, threadfin breams, carangids, nonpenaeid prawns and smaller crabs. During the five year period, pelagic resources contributed (40%), followed by the demersal resources (30%), crustacean resources (22%) and cephalopod resources (8%). Among the pelagic resources, the contribution of Bombay duck Harpadon nehereus (Synodontidae) decreased from 34.8% in 2003 to 24.6% in 2006, while the contribution of Trichiurus lepturus (Trichiuridae) increased from 33.5% in 2003 to 46.6% in 2006. The demersal resources were dominated by croakers (30%) and the crustacean resources by non-penaeid prawns (60%). The substantial component of the catches was landed by trawlers (59%), followed by dolnetters (26%) and gillnetters (14%). The last quarter (46%) recorded the highest landings with the poor catches in the second (14%) and third quarters (15%). There was a distinct change in species composition of sciaenids caught by dolnetters over the years with smaller sciaenids (Otolithes cuvieri, Sciaenidae and Johnius glaucus, Sciaenidae) completely replacing commercially important larger sciaenids like koth (Otolithoides biauritus, Sciaenidae) and ghol (Protonibea diacanthus, Sciaenidae). The mean length for Harpadon nehereus increased from 159 mm in 2003 to 216 mm in 2006, whereas for Otolithes cuvieri and Nemipterus japonicus (Nemipteridae) the mean length decreased from 202 mm and 223 mm in 2003 to 163 mm and 193 mm in 2005. The emergence of mackerel fishery in 2006 coupled with increased landings of high export value cephalopods and tunas provide scope for the sustenance of marine fishery of Gujarat. Strategies for sustainable responsible fisheries are outlined.