Threadfin breams and lizard fish resources in the shelf waters of the Indian EEZ

The regional and seasonal distribution and abundance of threadfin breams and lizard fish are presented as revealed by the bottom trawling operations of FORV Sagar Sampada during cruises 56-91 (1989 and 1992). The threadfin breams occurred in 49 and lizard fish in 25% of the total number of bottom trawhng stations surveyed. The most productive grounds for threadfin breams were located in the southwest coast between 8° and 15° N latitudinal zones, with the area 11775° yielding the highest average catch rate of 1794 kg/hr. Very high congregation and concentration of threadfin breams, composed mainly of Nemipterus mesoprion and N. japonicus, was observed in the southwest in 41- 80 m depth zones during southwest monsoon period. Lizard fish resources, composed mainly of Saurida tumbil and S. undosquamis were also relatively more dominant in the southwest coast than along the east coast and in the EEZ of Andaman-Nicobar islands. The size distribution of N. japonicus and A', mesoprion showed that smaller modal groups were dominant in shallower depth zones. The potential yield of threadfin breams in the southwest zone was estimated to be 2.05 x 10