Present status of exploitation of fish and shellfish resources: Catfishes

The availability, abundance and yield of catfishes are very much influenced by the monsoon along the west coast of India. More than 55% of the annual total catfish production from the west coast (1984-'88) is realised during postmonsoon period and 35.6% in premonsoon and 9.2% in monsoon. The gear wise and season wise catfish production, abundance and species composition in different States and at selected fishing centres on the west coast are presented. Catfish resource has high abundance during monsoon at Veraval, Bombay, Calicut and Cochin. Although the yield is low during the monsoon period, it is proportionate to the effort put in at all the centres. All along the west coast, Tachysurus dussumieri (32.4%) is the most dominant species in the fishery of premonsoon period and T. thassinus (42.4%) in that of monsoon. The percentage contribution of T. tenuispinis and T. dussumieri during postmonsoon is about 28