Oceanographic features and abundance of the pelagic fisheries along the west coast of India

The results of a study on the hydrographic properties such as temperature, salinity and Sigma-T (density) content of the surface waters along the west coast of India collected during the cruises of R. V. Varum and other vessels are presented e,s an average distrbution of the factors month-wise for each degree square. This has been used to investigate the relationship of the hydrographic conditions with the pelagic fishery landings such as thpsp of the oil sardine and the Indian mackerel month-wise. The importance of the coastal phenomena like upwelling and sinking in relation to the fishery landings is pointed out