Bioproductivity studies in the southwest coast of India and equatorial region

Abstract

This paper embodies the observations on the Isaacs Kidd MidwaterTrawl collections made in the zone 0 3 O S 1 ION and 71'- 86"E. The depths in the area of study were recorded in the range 50 - 3,727m. Significant variations in the occurrence and distribution of major zooplanktonic organisms and other pelagic fauna were noticed between stations. The percentage composition of planktonic organisms was comparatively high, being 49.6 in the stations covered south of the equatorial line. The average volume of plankton was high around Lakshadweep Islands, being 586 ml for a 30 minutes horizontal haul in the Deep Scattering Layer. Among the organisms, fish larvae and juvenile fishes, euphausiids and decapods, stomatopods (alima larvae of Squilla), copepods, caridian prawn Pasiphus sp. and pelagic squids were dominant in the collections of deep waters off southwest coast.