An overview of the bycatch status in tuna fishery in India

In the tuna fishery apart from the targeted catch i.e the tunas, the allied catches like the swordfish, sailfish, marlins and pelagic sharks, dolphinfish, turtles etc. contribute to the bycatch. The landing pattern of these resources clearly indicates this. Also the exploratory tuna longline surveys in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of India has indicated the abundance of these species. For managing the tuna fishery it is utmost important to know the status of the bycatch occurring in it. In the present study along with the targeted catch i.e the tunas, 39 bycatch species i.e the billfishes, seerfishes, pelagic sharks, rays, barracudas, sickle pomfret, oilfish, sunfish, escolar, dolphinfish, lancetfish etc. were recorded. The fishes recorded during the tuna longline survey in the Indian waters by the four longliners i.e MFV Matsya Vrushti, MFV Matsya Drushti, MFV Yellow Fin and MFV Blue Marlin during 2009-19 were studied and the distribution and abundance pattern of the tunas and the bycatch species were recorded. An aggregate hooking rate of 0.28% (number/100 hooks) and a catch rate of 33.3 (kg/1000 hooks) was recorded from the Indian EEZ. This study will definitely help the researchers and entrepreneurs as well as the fishery managers of India for devising the desired policy for the management of bycatch in Indian waters.