An assessment of the Demersal fishery resources off The Andhra-Orissa coast based on exploratory trawling

Abstract

Based on the exploratory trawling surveys for a 10-year period from 1961 to 1970 by the Government of India trawler, M. T. Ashok, in the northwestern regions of the Bay of Bengal between the latitude zones 16°40' and 21°10', the magtutude of the demersal resources has been estimated by the 'swept area' method. For an arefi of 41,478 sq. km. a fishery resource of 4,18,682.45 tonnes with 2,51,209.45 toijnes as the estimated potentially sustainable yield at the 60% level, is estimated. The present estimates have been compared with those reported for Goa to demonstrate the richness of the continental shelf along the Andhra- Orissa coast for ground-fish fisheries.