Tuna livebaits

Abstract

The fishery, biology and dynamics of livebaits used in the tuna pole and line fishery are discussed based on earlier and current work. Their catch in Minicoy showed interannual variation with an average of 7569 kg and CPUE of 2.5 kg. Clupeids dominated forming 39.5% followed by caesionids[32. l%).apogonids(22.5%} and pomacentrids(5.6%). At Agatti, the mean catch was 52 tonnes with a CPUE of 14 kg comprised exclusively of Spratelloides delicatulus. Biological characteristics such as size,food and feeding, sex-ratio,size at first maturity, spawning and fecundity, length-weight relationship etc of dominant species are given. Stock assessment studies on S. delicatulus and Archamia fucata indicated their over exploitation. Various measures for management and conservation of the resources along with future research priorities are indicated.