Penaeid prawn fishery and its maximum sustainable yield at Versova, Mumbai

Abstract

Penaeid prawn fishery at Versova, Mumbai was investigated for the ten-year
period of 1988 to 1997. The average annual catch during the period was 3,764 t,
of which the trawlers contributed 84.9% and 15.1% by the dol nets. The major
species contributing to the fishery were Parapenaeopsis stylifera (61.2%), Solenocera
crassicornis (12.4%), Metapenaeus affinis (8.9%) and M. brevicornis (8.5%)'in
trawlers andP. stylifera (51.5%),S. crassicornis (28.3%) andP. hardwikii (11.0%)
in dol nets. Month wise abundance, size range, mean size, maturity and sex ratio
in the two gears averaged for the period are discussed. Trawling at Versova
commenced in 1986-'87 and due to encouraging returns many dol net owners also
shifted over to trawling. Consequently the catch of penaeid prawns also increased
from 1,363.71 in 1988 to 4,740.71 in 1996, and thereafter it declined considerably.
Using Schaefer's surplus yield model, maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and
the related effort (FMSY) were estimated. The MSY was found to be 4,368.81 with
the optimum effort of 3.75 X 105 hours of fishing for the dol nets and trawlers
together, which corresponds to operation of 158 daily trawler trips and 38 dol net
boats for the sustainable penaeid prawn fishery at Versova.