the systematics, distribution and bionomics of deep sea fishes beyond depth 200m along the south

520 Pages·2014·8.34 MB·English

THE SYSTEMATICS, DISTRIBUTION AND BIONOMICS OF
DEEP SEA FISHES BEYOND DEPTH 200M ALONG THE
SOUTH WEST COAST OF INDIA
ffiwio ouflmitted ta tfie
COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Yapadm/ ¢%e
/WWJWW4
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL FISHERIES
COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
KOCHI — 682 016
2009
Dedicated to My Family
DECLARATION
I, Venu S., do hereby declare that the thesis entitled The Systematics,
Distribution and Bionomics of Deep sea fishes beyond depth 200 m
along the South west coast of India is a genuine record of research work
carried out by me under the guidance of Prof. (Dr.) B. Madhusoodana
Kurup, Director, School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science
and Technology, Kochi — 16 and no part of the work has previously formed
the basis for the award of any Degree, Associateship and Fellowship or any
other similar title or recognition of any University or Institution.
Venu S.
Kochi — 16
September—2009
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the thesis entitled The Systematics, Distribution
and Bionomics of Deep sea fishes beyond depth 200m along the
South west coast of India to be submitted by Sri. Venu S., is an
authentic record of research work carried out by him under my
guidance and supervision in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Cochin University of Science and
\
Technology, under the faculty of Marine Sciences.
Prof. (Dr.) B. Madhusoodana Kurup
i’f (Supervising Teacher)
[73:\,-:f_\1\ ’ Director
\\ Prof. (Dr.) B. Madhusoodana Kurup
School of Industrial Fisheries
Cochin University of Science and Technology
Kochi — 682 016
Kochi — 16
September—2009
flC'1C7V0’WLT.'f1)gE.‘M£7V'I5'
I express nry sincere gratitude to (Dr. G}. Wlad/iusoodana Kurup, (Professor, Sc/ioo[ of
Industriaffl-‘is/ieries, Cocfiin University of Science and ‘lee/inolbgy for fiis most va[ua5le guidance,
inspiring supervision and constructive criticism tfiroug/iout tfiis study.
I am gratefuf to (Prof ) Q madfiusoodana Kurup, ®irector, Scfioof of Industriaf
7-'i.sfieries, Cocfiin University of Science and Teclinoflagy for providing necessary facifities to carry
out tliis worfisuccessfulfy.
I wisli to express my sincere tfian/gs to CWILRE M10055, govt. of India) for giving me an
opportunity to wor/{as a Senior Researcfi ‘Te[[crw in tfie project entit[edStocE_j4ssessment and
(Biology of deep sea fis/ies in tfie Indian QJEZ and to participate in tfie cruises on5oard TOQUV
Sagar Sampada for tfie study. I am tfzanlifuf to (Dr. '1/JV Sanjeeuan, ®irector, C51/ILRE, Koc/ii
for /iis suggestions and advices.
I am gratefuf to ®r. SM. Jfarifirisfznan for fiis encouragements, witfiout wfiic/i t/iis tliesis
woufd not /iave fiappened and ~’Dr. S. 5ures/1 ‘Kumar for fiis timefy interventions w/ieneuer I was
in con usion.
My wfiofefiearted tfianfis are due to my friends Sri. (Prem&z[Q9., (Dr. Joice ‘I/. ‘77iomas, ®r.
9{ari Q3. for tfzeir persistent and wfiouzfieaned support and encouragement dunng tfie entire period
of t/ie study. I extend my sincere gratitude to (Dr. Radfiafigislinan and (Dr. K. Ranjeet for tfieir
timely fielp.
fMy /ieartjeft gratitude to «“Dr. 911. GP. Trafifialiaran for fiis se_[f&2ss efforts and
encouragement during t/ie entire period of writing tfiis t/iesis.
I woufd [ifie to express my sincere tfianks to Q)r. C. Sreedevi, Sn". (Prajitfz, ‘K. 7(.,
/’15fii&1sfi, ‘K. R and fl nit 51/I. ‘Ifiomas for tfieir timefy fiefp.
‘Tfie cooperation and /ielp rendered By Sn". flnis/I =Pacfiu and (Pau[ ‘Iliampi during tlie
cruises on5oardTOQl/.SagarSampada a[so t/ian§fu[[y aclinowfedgedf
{My sincere gratitucfe is due to alT C/iief Scientists, especial?) to ®r. Sreecffiar, tfie liest
Cfiief Scientist I /iave ever seen in 15 cruises I have participatecfonfioarzf‘TOR’!/SagarSampada.
"Hie scientific participants of a[[ t/ie cruises I fiave participatezf on5oarr{ TO(R_’V Sagar
Sampada especialfy to tliose of cruise No. 241 for tfieir cooperation aruf great support in carrying
out tfie maximum possi5[e sampling in tfie stucfy area.
I am tlian/{fu[ to Sn; Leopollf (Sr. ‘Tecfmicaf Ofiicer, CQVITRI), Re/zjan K. )4. {Former
‘F-isfiing Master, CQVILRE), Ramesan (‘Fisliing Master, CQWFRI), ‘Tfiapan Kumar 9Vla[o, K. R
Sunif Kumar, Ratnavefl 5. Q3. Trakgsfi, (Binoy, Q’ra&ep (C9l1LRfl:I)anc{.'NO9{I17V'CO staflSfifl
Rajagopaf, (Benny, George, .S'fii5u, Ratfiees/i, Rajeeu, t?radeep, .5'u6/ieesfi an¢{5'uL{fieesfi for tfieir
sefifess cooperation amfguufance cfuring tfie eagpforatory cruises I /iarue attemflzzf onlioarzf ‘FORV
SagarSampaz{a.
I am tfzanfifuf to Trof {(Dr.) T. M. fxvlofian, .‘l{ea¢{ of tfie (Department, amf my
Department of Ocean Studies ancf Drlarine Q3io[og'_y, (BrooE,sfia5at{ Campus, \Tond'icfierry
‘University, @021 Qflzir for /iis w/iofe /ieartetf support for sulimission of tfiis tfzesis.
91/ly tfianlis are Jue to Sri. Sandeep amf _’/06in josfiua for t/ieir fzefp in preparing tfie
p&1tes.
I express my sincere gratitmfe to a[[ tfiefacufties amf non teacliing staflqf tfie Sc/ioof of
Imfustnaf Tisfienes, C’U_Sj4T ]l[so I am gratefuf to my friends of Scfioof of 91/larine Sciences,
C‘US/‘IT
‘Ifie continuous flow of [ave amf a_ffi2ct1'on of myfamilj» was tfie cfrivingforce, witfiout
-w/iose wfiofefieartezf support tfzis worlégwouflf/ia-ue never (Seen successfuféi compfetetf
‘I/enu S.
Koclii — 16
.S'eptem6er—2009
CONTENTS
Chapter 1 General Introduction
Introduction
Review of literature
Objectives
Organisation of chapters
Section I Systematics and Distribution
Chapter 2 Systematics of deep sea fishes of 27 - 291
Southwest coast of Indian EEZ
Chapter 3 Distribution and abundance of deep sea 292 - 312
fishes beyond 200m depth along
Southwest coast of Indian EEZ
Section II Bionomics of deep sea fishes
Chapter 4 Food and Feeding 313 - 327
Chapter 5 Maturity and Spawning 328 - 347
Chapter 6 Length — Weight Relationship 348 - 366
Chapter 7 Age and Growth 367 - 378
Chapter 8 Summary and Recommendations 379 — 391
References
Appendix I
CHAPTER 1
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Chapter I General Introduction
Introduction
The fisheries sector has been recognised as a powerful engine for
economic development and employment generation as it stimulates growth
of a number of subsidiary industries. It is an important source of cheap and
nutritious food, besides it provides as an instrument of livelihood for a large
section of economically backward population of the country. Indian fisheries
sector is an important component of the global fisheries; constituting about
4.4% of the global fish production and contributes to 1.1% of the GDP and
4.7% of the agricultural GDP According to SOFIA (2007), the amount of food
fish consumed on a global scale has increased from 45 m mt in 1973 to over
90 m mt in 1997 and reached 107.2 in 2005. Over this span, world per capita
food fish consumption has also risen from 12 kg/year to 16.6 kg/year
(SOFIA, 2007). Growth in food fish consumption has primarily been a
developing-country phenomenon. China dominated aggregate consumption
of fisheries products in 1997, with over 36 percent of global consumption,
rising from only 11 % in 1973. India and Southeast Asia together accounted
for another 17 % in 1997, with total consumption doubling since 1973
(Delgado et al. 2003).
Marine fish production from the currently fishable areas of the Indian
EEZ is reaching or has reached its optimum level. India is the seventh
largest fishing nation of the world with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of
2.02 million sq. km. Sudarsan et al. (1990) estimated a resource potential of
Systenratics, rlistribution and bionomics of the fislres inlmbiting bcyoml 200m tlcprh along the south west coast of India 1
Chapter 1 General Introduction
3.92 million tonnes from the Indian EEZ. Of this, the inshore water (0.50m),
10 % in area of the EEZ, possesses an estimated exploitable potential of 58
% (2.28 million tonnes). The rest, 1.64 million tonnes, are scattered over a
very large area of (89 % of EEZ) offshore waters (50-500m). The level of
exploitation in the inshore waters has already reached the Maximum
Sustainable Yield (MSY) level whereas only 31.46 °/o of offshore waters are
exploited. The 1.64 million tonnes of deep-sea fishery resources comprise
45.25 °/o pelagic stock, 39.8 % demersal stock and 15 % of oceanic species
(Sudarsan et al. 1990). Demersal surveys beyond the 100 m depth have
shown that unexploited species of fish, shrimps and lobsters occur in deeper
waters. The major unexploited resources are fish groups are the threadfin
breams, yellow fin tuna, pelagic sharks, cephalopods, carangids and shrimps
in the order of abundance. In this area, the bottom trawl fishery has
developed and expanded rapidly during the last couple of decades, mainly
due to very favourable export markets for shrimps. Demersal fish exploited at
present are components of the stocks distributed over the continental shelf,
particularly within the 100 m depth zone. In view of the prevailing state of
fisheries in this region and with global fish supply struggling to keep pace
with demand over the next 20 years, there is scope for further exploitation of
1.25 million tonnes of deep-sea resources (D’Cruz, 2004) available in the
Indian EEZ.
Recently, the depletion and increased regulation of shal|ow—water
fishery resources have generated greater interest in the potential of
deepwater fisheries. Sma|ler—scale fisheries for deep-sea animals have been
conducted in certain locations around the world for more than a century, but
S ystr.-mutics, distribution and Iaiononrics 0ftIm_fisItc.\‘ inhabiting bcyoml 200»: tleptlr along the south west c0u_\‘t of Imlin 2