Appraisal of the Marine Fisheries in Andhra Pradesh

With a coastline of about 980 km, Andhra Pradesh has a rich marine fishery resource and, producing on an average 1,21,000 t of marine fish, it ranks fifth among the maritime States. The vast segment of the continental shelf, of nearly 31,000 sq km, bordering nine coastal districts, receives copious rains from both the monsoons, aside from the mighty discharge of two great rivers, the Godavary and the Krishna, thus greatly enriching its flora and fauna- Nevertheless, it is subject to extreme climatic vicissitudes. Whereas the coast is caressed by gentle waves during January-April, it is liable to be hit by devastating cyclones during October-November, such as the one that had occurred in the N. E. monsoon of 1977 and caused an infernal misery, which is still fresh in the mind of the coastal people. Well-developed coastal reads and shelters are, however, now constructed in order to save lives and property during cyclones