Observations on the food and feeding habits of the oceanic skipjack, Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) of the Laccadive Sea during the years 1958-59

The oceanic skipjack, Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) which is widely distributed in most tropical and subtropical seas, plays a principa1 role in the Minicoy tuna fishing industry bringing an annual in come of over Rs. 50,000 to the islanders (Jones, 1958) in recent years, through the export of dried tuna sticks called ' mass min. The importance of the study of the biology of this fish in exploiting them wisely and effectively hardly needs emphasis