Fishery resources of the Indian ocean

Abstract

The paper gives critical account of the fishery resources of the Indian Ocean against the background of occanographic features. The existing resources are principally the clupeoids, scombroids and crustaceans with many smaller fisheries as such includes widely distributed species, their concentration in commercial quantities to form large scale fisheries is influenced by many factors. Two broad patterns in the resources are obvious, namely the Southern temperate fisheries represented along South African and West Australian Coasts and the fisheries of rest of the Indian Ocean. In the latter category, we have the fisheries of Arabian Sea region where the neritic-pelagic groups have a high importance and those of Bay of Bengal region with an overall pattern entirely different from the west coast of India. Judged by the physical, chemical and planktonological features, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, South-west Coast of India, the East coast of Andamans, the areas to the north and south-west of Australia are some of the productive areas. The sardines, mackerel, tuna, prawn and lobsters are some of the groups which offer considerable scope for increased production. The smallness of stocks and the lower density of population call for newer techniques in fishing and better utilization of knowledge concerning oceanographic features, particularly relating to temperature and oxyzen. In regard to biological and oceanographical features, the Arabian Sea presents many complex problems, yet it is one of the most highly prosuctive areas of the Indian Ocean. The future of Indian ocean fisheries is one of moderate optimism, because the indications are that the present yield of 2.0 million tons could be increased to at least 10 million tons in the coming few years and is capable of a ten-fold increase towards the close of the century.