Coastal zone management Mudbanks of Kerala coast

Abstract

THE MUDBANKS, the formation of which is a curious phenomenon reported hitherto from only the southwest coast of India, appear over restricted areas on the Kerala- south Karnataka coast during the inclement S. W. monsoon as bodies of calm water, where the wave action the coastal waters at this time abounds with is almost absent, largely due to a fine mud in a state of suspen sion. On a squally, surf-beaten coast, these areas facilitate easy fishing operations of country crafts, which otherwise idle away during this haish weather. For this reason it gained much popularity, particularly of late, among the coastal people. Reports on mudbanks date back to the early 18th century. But a serious scientific study on them was not initiated until nineteen-thirties, when Sir Robert Bristow took it up in connection with his port man agement. His study, however, stimulated further interest, and, because of its contri bution often to successful fisheries, with spectacular catches of prawns and fish, parti cularly the shoaling forms, the mudbank has attracted increasing attention from fishery scientists.