On a new prawn ground in the Gulf of Mannar

Abstract

Since the beginning of the last decade, systematic exploratory surveys to assess the fishery potential of the offshore regions of the Gulf of Mannar w^ere undertaken b-y the Deep Sea Fishing Station, Government of India and the Indo-NoTwegiaa Project from Tuticorin and Mandapam bases respectively. The results of thesie surveys have revealed certain productive fishing areas for fish and prawns (Bao, 1968; Rao and Dorairaj, 1969; James and Adolf, 1969). Encouraged by these results, entrepreneurs came forward to undertake offshore fishing on a commercial scale and at present there are about 250 mechanised boats regularly engaged in trawl fishing in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay, with Mandapam, Pamban and Rameswaram as their bases of operation.