Heavy landings of bigeye and pinjalo snappers at Chennai Fisheries Harbour

Among the major perches landed at Chennai Fisheries Harbour, snappers and rock cods formed dominant groups followed by pigface breams. Among snappers, more than 15 species were recorded at Chennai Fisheries Harbour during 2009 (Table 1). In trawlnet, Lutjanus lutjanus (29.9%) formed the dominant catch followed by L. rivulatus and L. malabaricus. In mechanised gillnet, L. rivulatus (33.7%) formed the major catch followed by L. malabaricus and Pinjalo pinjalo. In hooks and line, L. rivulatus (34.4%) formed the major catch followed by L. lutjanus, L. malabaricus and L. argentimaculatus. The other lutjanids landed were Aphareus rutilans, Aprion virescens and Pristipomoides filamentosus. Lutjanus lutjanus was landed throughout the year by trawl nets. Unusually heavy catch of big eye snapper (L. lutjanus) was landed, about 8.5 t, 3.2 t, and 2 t by multiday thangal trawlers during July, August and September, 2009, respectivel