Estimates of growth, mortality, recruitment pattern and MSY of important resources from the Maharashtra coast

Abstract

Based on the data collected from the year 1987 - 1991 the growth,
\nmortality and recruitment pattern of eighteen species of fish, two
\nspecies of cephalopods and four species of penaeid prawns have been
\npresented in the present communication_ The total mortality coefficient,
\n(Z) varied from lowest of 1.20 for O.cuvieri to a highest of 10.78 for
\nP.stylifera. The natural mortality coefficient, (M) varied from 0.52 for
\nT. thalassinus to 3.44 for S.crassicornis.
\nThe average annual yield of eighteen species of fish, four species of
\nprawns and two species of cephalopods are 65,083, 38,404 and 11,373
\ntons as against the MSYof 83,023, 72,460 and 10,475 tons respectively.
\nThe MSY estimated for the total fish stock is 1,77,753t where as the
\npresent yield is 1,14,859t. This indicates that higher yield can be
\nobtained by increasing the effort.