The current trend of the mussel fishery in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

In the Kanyakumari district there are massive formations of mussel beds in the coastal waters of this district and a fishery for the brown mussel Perna indica regularly operates during September-March at many centres where there are submerged or partially submerged rocks in the near-shore waters. Stray numbers of the green mussel Perna viridis are also found settled on them. Kanyakumari district has the scope to contribute raw material to an appreciable extent by gearing up production in the presently unexploited centres also. Naturally, when mussel fishing becomes more profitable than now, more fishermen will get engaged in this fishery.