Some aspects of the biology of 'Ghol' Pseudosciaena diacanthus (Lacepede)

Sciaenids popularly called 'croakers', 'Drums', 'Jewfish', and 'Whitings', contribute; substantially to the fisheries of India. Sciaenids form about 6% of the total annual marine fish catch of the country. About 30% of the landings of the trawlers at Bombay is composed of Sciaenids. Pseudosciaena diacanthus (ghol), Otolithoides brunneus (Koth), Otolithus ruber, Otolithus argenteus, Pseudosciaena sina, Johnius dussumieri are the important species contributing to the sciaenid fishery besides other species of lesser importance. Smaller sciaenids, mostly Johnius spp., and Otolithus spp., locally called 'Dhoma' constitute the bulk of the catches of the trawlers (20-23%) ** Bombay. Pseudosciaena diacanthus locally called 'ghol', ranks first as a commercially very important offshore sciaenid, forming 5 to 8% of the trawler catches