An appraisal of the fishery of Metapenaeus monoceros along the Kakinada coast

An analysis of the data for the lZyeer period 1967 to 1978, showed a -dual increast in the effort of trawlera from 1967. Metape~wcw mmcer09 fodng about 12 % of the pram IaIIdinp is an important mmponent of the trawler catcbs. The fishery is generally better during Jmrrary-May thrra in the ofher months. Tha landings of M. nmrrwsros gradually increased from 20.3 t In 1961 to 485.6 t in 1974 and then fluctuated thereafter. Catch per how (CPH) varied between 1.0 kg in 1961 to 0.4 kg in 1978. The CPH mom or less gmduaHy Mined fram 1974 to 1978. The proportion of adults, patticularly one-year olds, in the catch- gradually declined during the 19741977 period. These two factors indicate that the stock is at the threshold love1 of optimumexploitation. A negative wdation between the CPH of M. m m u o s in trawler catch- of an and the rainfall of the previous year i s notbd. There appears to be a positive wmlation betwean the CPH of M. mmeros in trawler catch= of one-year and the d B of M, g . o s in atuarine catches of the previous year. Based on the estuarine h l w y it i s possible to predict the a h - of M. utonmros in the idore waters 5-6 months in advance of the main Ming season