FISHERY OF THE INDIAN WHITE PRAWN PENAEUS INDICUS H. MILNE EDWARDS ALONG THE TINNEVELLY COAST, TAMIL NADU

Abstract

The fishery is seasonal, June-July to October-November. The total landings
of prawns toy mechanised vessels in l'97i8 was estimated at 539 it, of which nearly
63.4% wis large^sized P. indicus. The species occurs 'in the adjacent waters of
Purrjaiikkayal also, as a lXMiiKMhe-year fishery of lesser magnitude. The modal
sizes of P. indicus from the Manappad fishing grounds Hanged from T51-155 mm
to 171-175 mini for mates and l'Sl-lSS mm to .l'9fr-2O0 mm for females. Stages, of
maturity 'indicated intense spawning activities' iui this fishing ground. The fishing
season coincides with the south-west monsoon, when 'theme is a seasonal fishery,
exclusively constituted by large sizes of the same species, sin the adjacent waters of
the Kjnyakumaci District on the southwest coast. A oamparatilve study of thei
various features of the fishery of P. indicus lib these two areas indicates the possibility
of meoruitmeinit of the species to the iMIanappad fishery from the stock off
Kianyakumao, -which, in turn, its probably reoruuted from the Kerala coast at the
time of intense physico-chemical changes in the marine environment, brought about
by the south-west monsoon.