Report of Potato grouper and Cloudy grouper in fishery landings at Mumbai

Grouper fishery of Maharashtra is dominated by Epinephelus diacanthus with occasional landing of E. bleekeri, E. malabaricus, E.coioides, E. areolatus, E. polylepis, E. morrhua, E. latifasciatus, E. epistictus, E. radiatus and Cephalopholis sonnerati. During the routine fishery survey at Sassoon Dock on 9th October 2016 a single specimen of Potato grouper Epinephelus tukula measuring 35 cm TL (1.7 kg) was observed in the landings of a trawler operated at a depth of 40 off Ratnagiri. Reports of E. tukula is rare from Indian coast and other reports are from Lakshadweep, Vizhinjam (Kerala), Grand Island (Goa), Muttom, Enayam (Tamil Nadu) coasts (Sluka and Lazarus, 2010 Marine Biodiversity Records 3:1-3). Potato grouper, is a widely distributed Indo-Pacific species, but sparsely known in their distribution range from Red Sea to Kenya and Australia. The name refers to the potatoshaped dark blotches on the body

The pressure-amorphized state in zirconium tungstate: a precursor to decomposition

In contrast to widely accepted view that pressure-induced amorphization arises due to kinetic hindrance of equilibrium phase transitions, here we provide evidence that the metastable pressure-amorphized state in zirconium tungstate is a precursor to decomposition of the compound into a mixture of simple oxides. This is from the volume collapse ΔV across amorphization, which is obtained for the first time by measuring linear dimensions of irreversibly amorphized samples during their recovery to the original cubic phase upon isochronal annealing up to 1000 K. The anomalously large ΔV of 25.7 ± 1.2% being the same as that expected for the decomposition indicates that this amorphous state is probably a precursor to kinetically hindered decomposition. A P–T diagram of the compound is also proposed

Artisanal longline fishing for high value fishes off Mumbai, Maharashtra

Sassoon Dock is one of oldest and a major landing center located in Mumbai from where several multiday and single day fishing vessels including trawlers, dolnetters, gillnetters and hook and line units operate. Marine fisheries of Maharashtra is mostly dominated by trawlers and dolnetters while line fishing is done by only a few fishers. The artisanal fishers in Juhu, Colaba and nearby areas of Mumbai are operating a few long line units in small wooden boats (6 - 7 m OAL) or fibre boats fitted with engines of 16 – 24 hp from Sassoon Dock landing centre

Report of dorsal fin abnormality in silver pomfret

During a routine sampling for silver pomfret Pampus argenteus, specimens with dorsal fin abnormality were collected from Ratnagiri and Mumbai, Maharashtra. On 29th April, 2016 a single silver pomfret with deformed dorsal region and a deep pit in the dorsal region was observed in the purse seine landings at Mirkarwada fish landing centre, Ratnagir

Turtle conservation activities in Tambaldeg village, Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra

Tambaldeg village in Devgad taluka is a famous tourist place in the Sindhudurg district. During a field visit to Tambaldeg beach on 24th April 2017, six carcasses of adult olive ridley turtle Lepidochelys olivacea and one of green turtle Chelonia mydas were observed in decomposed state. This beach is a turtle nesting site and the Forest department of Maharashtra with the support of local fishers is undertaking awareness programs for turtle conservation including hoardings displayed on conservation of turtles along the beach. Protection of nesting turtles and eggs is also undertaken by the local communities

Deep-sea chondrichthyan composition and abundance in Andaman waters, Indian EEZ-preliminary results based on exploratory survey

Two deep-sea fishery surveys were conducted during 2015 to explore the fish diversity and fishing grounds. Seven deep sea bottom trawl operations were conducted using HOT and HSDT-IInets

Preliminary study on the length-weight relationship of Sacura boulengeri (Heemstra, 1973) from Indian waters

Sacura boulengeri (Heemstra, 1973) is a rare serranid fish (Subfamily: Anthiinae) having very distinct distribution in the western Indian Ocean. The rarity of the species is evident from earlier reports and, so far, no related studies on the species have been published except on taxonomy and distributional records. In the present investigation, the length-weight relationship of Sacura boulengeri was estimated to be W = 0.0777 × L2.690 (with 95% confidence intervals for b and r2). An analysis of the stomach contents revealed that sergestid shrimps and copepods were the major food items of the diet

First record of the Garman's lanternfish Diaphus garmani (Family: Myctophidae) from Indian waters

The myctophid Diaphus garmani is recorded for the first time from Indian waters. Three specimens (54-59 mm standard length) were collected from deep sea shrimp trawlers off Quilon, southwest coast of India, between 80 -110 N and 740-760 E, at depths from 250 to 450 m

Blue whale washed ashore at Kuttayi Landing Centre, Malappuram, Kerala

On 27th February 2010, a blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus, measuring 31 feet in total length was washed ashore at Kuttayi Landing Centre in Malappuram District of Kerala