Survival of trawl-caught fish in experimental fishing in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay off southeast coast of India

Abstract

Survival of injured fish caught in a series of experimental trawl hauls conducted in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay (8°55’ – 9°20’N; 79° - 79°40’E) in the southeast coast of India has been examined. Larger size groups of trawl-caught finfish survived longer, while inedible organisms showed shorter duration of survival. Among the target groups, the blue crab, Portunus pelagicus had the greatest survival ratio. Among the non-target groups, molluscs and stomatopods survived better than others. Generally, inedible taxa were relatively more resilient to trawling pressures, showing better survival and reduced injury.