Marine fisheries

1. Virbhan
B.F.Sc(3rd year)
virbhanth21@gmail.com
CCS Haryana Agricultural
University, Hisar

2. Introduction
• Species distributed above the floor up to 5mt.
• Demersal fish though generally occupy the sea floor, feeding on
the benthic organisms and detritus, perform vertical and horizontal
migration in search of their feeding and breeding grounds.
• The contribution of demersal finfish resources in total marine
landings was 25%. & shellfish 20%.
• Major groups are sharks, groupers, snappers, thread fins, pomfrets,
lndian Halibuts etc., Larger ones are targeted by different gears and
others are caught as by catches. Unlike pelagic fishes, they are less
affected by the environments.
• N-W coast contribute maximum catch.

3. Elasmobranch
• Elasmobranchs are among the largest of the marine fish species,
which, with placoid scales embedded in the skin (sharks) or are
cartilaginous skeleton (rays) and with gill slits.
• Female larger than male, great variaation in size and reproductive
pattern.
• This group consists mainly of sharks, skates and rays.
Distribution :
• They are found distributed along both the coasts of India from the
near shore regions to oceanic waters.
• Also some species are found in the bays, lagoons and estuaries.
• The commercial sharks are mostly found at depths varying from
15 to 150 mm while the rays and guitar fishes are at 4-150m

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Production trend :
• The statewise percentage contribution showed that Tamil Nadu
(27.5%) contributed to the maximum followed by Gujarat
(19.5%), Maharashtra (16.7%) and Andhra Pradesh(15%).
• Group wise, sharks were more abundant off Gujarat and
Maharashtra while rays were more distributed off Tamil Nadu
and Andhra Pradesh.
Food and feeding habits :
• Elasmobranchs are carnivores and predaceous in nature, with the
exception of Rhincodon typus (Whale Shark) which is mainly a
zooplankton (filter) feeder.

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Spawning season :
• The majority of species breed during premonsoon (January-
May) and post-monsoon (September- December) and few in
monsoon (June-August) period.
Fecundity:
• All the species of elasmobranchs have low fecundity. The
number of young ones (pups) in shark species ranges from 1-2
in Scoliodon walbeehmi.
Utilization :
• Elasmobranchs are valuable fish as almost every part of body
is utilized for various purposes.
• The shark liver oil could become an important resource in the
fight against cancer.

6. Sciaenids
• Sciaenids commonly known as croakers, grunters, drummers and
jewfishes in reference to the repetitive throbbing or drumming
sounds they make.
• They are found in deep waters, coastal areas, estuaries and fresh
waters.
Distribution :
India : They are distributed in both east and west coasts of
India.However, they are abundant in the Northwest coast.
Food and feeding habits :
• Sciaenids are carnivores and active predators.
Spawning season: The spawning season for the majority of sciaenid
species is during the monsoon and post-monsoon months. During
the protracted spawning period, i.e., spawning over six months, the
individual fish spawns twice.

7. Silverbelly
• The fishes of the family Leiognathidae (Silverbellies, pony fishes
and slip mouths) belong to an important group of finfishes in the
marine fisheries of India.
• They formed 1.2% of the total marine fish landings & 8.6% of
the total demersal fish landings in India.
• They are principally shallow water fishes distributed in the 0-40
m depth range and enter the estuaries also.
Food and feeding habits:
• They are mainly zooplankton feeders.
Spawning season :
• They are fractional spawners spawning throughout the year with
one or two peaks of longer duration each year.

8. Cat fishes
• Marine catfishes belongs to the family Tachysuridae are grouped
under three genera Tachysurus (21 sps). Osteogeneiosus (1),
Batrachocephalus (1 sps.).
• Out of 23 sps, 11 are commercially important.
• They undergo vertical and horizontal migration in small to large
school due to hydrographic variation and reproductive behavior of the
species and parallel to the coast during monsoon.
• Young ones prefer the bottom.
• Catfishes contribute about 8.6% of total marine landing.
• Higher catch comes from Gujarat, Maharashtra, W.B, and TN.
• The west coast landed 69.7 % of the total catfish catch and the east
coast 30.3 %.
• They are mostly caught by trawl net, drift gill net, hook & line and
purse seine.

9. Flat fish
• Flatfishes belong to the families, Bothidae (Flounders),
Cynoglossidae (Tongue soles), Psettodidae (Indian halibut) and
Soleidae (Soles).
• They are bottom dwelling demersal fishes with burrowing habits.
• They are exclusive benthic fishes, found mainly on muddy or sandy
bottom of shelf areas; most of them are restricted to shallow waters
of less than 60 m depth.
Food and feeding :
• The food items of flatfishes include benthic invertebrates, including
cephalopods and also fishes.

10. SYMBOL OF TRUST