Estimated biomass of demersal flshes off Saurashtra coast

Abstract

Analyiis of exploratory tiawl lurvey data for the areas between latitudes 20°N (off Veraval) and 23°2(m ( (^ Jaldiau) and longitudes 68°E and 70°S0^ in the Saurashtra coast for a S-year period from 198S to 1989 revealed that the average demersal fish biomass in this area w u 430.4 kg/km^ The biomass per unit area increased in the north western direction from Veraval up to Harshad. Sdaenid and riUxMifish contributed substantially to the resource, forming as high as 62.5% of total demersal biomass. During the S-year period, the dianersel biomass declined from 634.7 kg/km^ in 198S to 3SS.0 kg/km^ in 1989, i.e. a decrease of abcwt 44%