Mass mortality of Catfishes and other bottom fauna at Pudiappa, Calicut

Abstract

The sea off Calicut suddenly became rough on 7th April 1984 and severe wind, high waves and strong breakers flooded the coastal areas between Pudiappa and Beypore. The sudden influx of mud together with the churning up process would have made the water of Pudiappa turbid and thereby reducing the oxygen content of the watei to sub-lethal level. Thus, asphyxiation seemed to be the causasive factor for the sudden large scale mortality of the fishes. Within a short time the whole of Pudiappa beach, extending to about 3-4 ha, was carpeted by fishes and loose mud. Along with fishes, huge quantities of bivalves and gastropods were also washed ashore. It was found that more than 90% of the fishes washed ashore were catfishes of a single species, Tachysurus maculatus.