Fish and fisheries of the mudbanks

Abstract

The mudbanks attracted the attention of fishery \t 
\nscientists as they play a vital role in coastal fishing \t 
\nduring the S. W. monsoon. Studies on the fishery \t 
\nassociated with mudbanks were carried out \t 
\nfrom Quilon to Mangalore, particularly in the \t 
\nmudbanks of Purakkad and Nattika, where the fishery \t 
\nis more intense. The total catch and catch per \t 
\nunit effort for mudbank and non-mudbank areas \t 
\nwere estimated and compared. Changing pattern \t 
\nof fishery, species composition and their relative \t 
\nabundance were studied. The present paper thus em\t 
\nbodies a detailed account on the much publicised \t 
\n'mudbank fishery'—or Chakara fishery—and its magni\t 
\ntude and limitations. An attempt has also been made \t 
\nto project the socio-economics of the fishing com\t 
\nmunity of these areas, along with the infra-structure \t 
\nand the impact of legislation in regard to mudbank \t 
\nfishery.