Observation on the tuna shoals associated with flotsam in the offshore waters of Minicoy Island during 1982-83 season

Abstract

The association of fishes with floating objects has been exploited by a number of fisheries. Tunas have long been known to aggregate around floating objects such as logs, masses of drifting seaweed, debris and other flotsam. Japanese pole-and-line fisheries and American purse seine and live-bait fisheries take advantage of the association of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and oceanic skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) with logs and other flotsam (Uda 1983 ; Mc Neely 1961 ; Kimura 1954 and Inoue et al. 1963, 1968). The catch per set of yellowfin and other tunas in association with flotsam by purse seiners has increased in recent years.