Seamount associated fishery of south-west coast of India - a preliminary assessment

Abstract

West coast of India accounts for 55% of the total marine capture fishery production of India. Wider continental shelf with high productivity due to coastal upwelling is attributed to this large contribution. Present study shows that fishing in the seamounts, knolls, guyots and ridges in the Arabian Sea too contribute considerably to the landings of west coast. During 2010 and 2011, an estimated 2314 and 1934 t of fishes were landed from seamounts and associated knolls at Kochi (Kerala) in the west coast. Landings were supported mostly by commercially important high value large pelagics, elasmobranchs, carangids and perches. Present study indicates that these areas are under intensive exploitation and more detailed studies are needed for critical status assessment of resources in these vulnerable habitats.