Seasonal fishery for Parapenaeopsis stylifera with comments on its possible recruitment along the coasts of Trivandrum, Kanyakumari and Thirunelveli Districts, South India

Though the prawn, Parapenaeopsis stylifera does not contribute much to'" the fishery along the south-east coast of India, its abrupt seasonal appearance during July~November along the coasts of Thirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Trivandrum, which amounted to about 1,614 t during 1981-86 seasons, is of great interest from the point of view of its biology and behaviour. Of the two major trawling grounds off Thirunelveli. Manappad Madai sustains a good seasonal fishery for the species, the landing in 1978 being 163 t. However. fishery to the north of Manappad along the south-east coast is of lesser magnitude and does not show any seasonal pattern of occurrence. It is interesting to note that in comparison with the fishery for the species at Neendakara in the south-west coast, the fishery off Manappad shows higher size-frequency distribution with more mature specimens and the peak season occurs in the months of October-November. These facts possibly indicate the movement of the species towards south from Neendakara and to further north upto Manappad, round the Cape Comorin as recorded in the case of Penaeus indicus