Analysis of bycatches from mid-water trawl fishery targeting ribbonfish Trichiurus lepturus on the north-west coast of India

Azeez, P A and Rohit, Prathibha and Shenoy, Latha and Jaiswar, A K and Koya, Mohammed and Vase, Vinay Kumar and Divu, D (2024) Analysis of bycatches from mid-water trawl fishery targeting ribbonfish Trichiurus lepturus on the north-west coast of India. Indian Journal of Fisheries, 71 (1). pp. 95-104. ISSN 0970 - 6011

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Abstract

Commercial trawl fisheries are closely associated with bycatch and discards and it significantly affects the non-target resources, biodiversity, ecosystem function and habitat. The present study analysed bycatch based on data obtained from commercially operated multiday midwater trawlers operating off the north-west coast of India during August 2017-December 2019. The data revealed that bycatch and discards constituted about 53 and 6% respectively of the trawl catch. Mid-water trawl bycatch comprised 92 Teleosts, 8 Cephalopods, 12 Crustaceans and 11 Elasmobranch species. The bycatch is mainly comprised of cuttlefishes, squids, threadfin breams, sciaenids, bullseye and lizardfishes. Further, 93.68% of the bycatch consisted of commercially important fish, hence it was retained in the vessel. The bycatch rate was high in September (72.81±37.44 kg h-1) whereas, for discards, it was in August (16.25±10.84 kg h-1).

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