Status of the fishery and resource characteristics of Carangids along the Indian Coasts

A consistent increase was observed in carangid production with minor fluctuations from a nominal 24,560 tin 1969 to 1,36,094 t in 2004 with a peak p!'oduction of 1,96,832 t in 1995. Carangids were the third major pelagic resource constituting 5.5% of the total all India fish production next only to mackerel and oil sardine. The average annual catch of carangid was 1771.2, 4940.5, 922.6, 4199.5, and 1856.5 t at Veraval, Mangalore, Kochi, Tuticorin and Kakinada respectively. The small-mechanised trawl is the most effective gear in exploiting the carangids along both the coasts

Hypoxic Culture Conditions as a Solution for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Based Regenerative Therapy

Cell-based regenerative therapies, based on in vitro propagation of stem cells, offer tremendous hope to many individuals suffering from degenerative diseases that were previously deemed untreatable. Due to the self-renewal capacity, multilineage potential, and immunosuppressive property, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered as an attractive source of stem cells for regenerative therapies. However, poor growth kinetics, early senescence, and genetic instability during in vitro expansion and poor engraftment after transplantation are considered to be among the major disadvantages of MSC-based regenerative therapies. A number of complex inter-and intracellular interactive signaling systems control growth, multiplication, and differentiation of MSCs in their niche. Common laboratory conditions for stem cell culture involve ambient O-2 concentration (20%) in contrast to their niche where they usually reside in 2-9% O-2. Notably, O-2 plays an important role in maintaining stem cell fate in terms of proliferation and differentiation, by regulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) mediated expression of different genes. This paper aims to describe and compare the role of normoxia (20% O-2) and hypoxia (2-9% O-2) on the biology of MSCs. Finally it is concluded that a hypoxic environment can greatly improve growth kinetics, genetic stability, and expression of chemokine receptors during in vitro expansion and eventually can increase efficiency of MSC-based regenerative therapies.Article Link: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2013/632972

Identification and characterisation of fisheries management units

This is a discussion paper on the identification of Fisheries Management Units (FMU) in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The choice of fisheries management units or FMUs depends on many factors like fisheries resource configuration, structure of the fisheries, availability of information, institutional aspects and the scale or level at which one can make a significant contribution to the management goals and objectives. Six possible FMU were identified based on various groupings such as fish resources, gear based, fleet based, geographical, harvesters and subsectors, and combinations of these as the seventh FMU. The prospects of each type of FMU in the TN & P context are discussed in detail in this paper

Fisheries Management Options for Tamil Nadu & Puducherry

The specific aim or output of the work package on fisheries management is to “define a new fisheries management system” for Tamil Nadu & Puducherry (TN & PC) since it is an essential tool for achieving the long term development goal of the project. The approach was a mixture of (i) expert consultations with fishery biologists, fishery statisticians, academics, fisheries NGOs, fisheries officials, (ii) review of fisheries management with available current information, (iii) a detailed analysis of catch data species wise, district wise and sector wise (mechanised, motorised and non-motorised) and (iv) an exercise to identify potential Fisheries Management Units (FMUs) and to develop a detailed characterization of them. Based on the above, fisheries management options for TN & PC have been worked out and presented in a state level multi-stakeholder workshop and subsequently refined. This report is the outcome of this process

Supplementary Papers on Fisheries Management

There are myriad laws and regulations that have some impact on marine fishing in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Obviously, the most important is the MFRA. Increasingly, environmental laws are having a significant impact as are regulations by seafood importing nations and trade related instruments brought in by the WTO. A major central law is also in the making. The plethoras of laws (and agencies implementing them) also mean that there is considerable overlap and lack of coherence. There is no mechanism at the moment to ensure that they all converge towards a common understanding and vision for fisheries management. An important factor that cannot be ignored is that the large traditional fishing community has its own laws and independent system of management that has a huge influence on how constitutional laws get implemented

Tuna Fishery and Stock Assessment of Component Species off Chennai Coast

All India tuna production continued to increase with fluctuations from 848 t in 1951 to 64,006 t in 2006, with a peak production of 64,006 t in 2006. During 1985-2006 it varied from 27,148 t in 1985 to 64,006 t in 2006 with annual average landings of 39,937 t. Annual average tuna production by different maritime states was 17,041 t (42.7%) by Kerala, 5,615 t (14.1%) by Gujarat, 5,000 t (12.5%) by Tamilnadu, 2,741 t (6.9%) by Lakshadweep, 2,812 (7.0%) Karnataka, 2,716 t (6.8%) by Maharashtra, 2,009 t (5.9%) by Andhrapradesh, 1,095 t (2.7%) by Goa, 444 t (1.1%) by Andaman & Nicobar Islands, 262 t (0.7%) by Pondicherry, 134 t (0.3%) by Orissa, 68 t (0.2%) by West Bengal. Tamilnadu catch varied from 1,336 t in 1985 to 10,912 t in 2006 with an average of 5,000 t forming 1.4% of total marine fish production during 1985-2006. Species composition of all India tuna catch was Euthynnus affinis (51.2%), Katsuwonus pelamis (4.1%), Thunnus tonggol (10.4%), Auxis spp. (20.7%) and other tunnies (13.6%) and the species composition of Tamilnadu was E. affinis (59.7%), K. pelamis (11.5), Auxis spp. (12.5%), T. tonggol (5.5%) and other tunas (10.8%)

Marine Fish Production in Tamil Nadu & Puducherry. A Report based on a detailed analysis of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Data

Continuous growth in TN marine fisheries is observed in the form of introduction of new fishing vessels, fishing methods, new fishing gears and development of different infrastructure since 1950 leading to a five-fold increase in catch and three-fold increase in active fishers. There is a continuous expansion of fishing operation to deeper and distant waters. There has been a continuous discovery of new fishing grounds, new fishery resources and new fishing methods. The entire shelf area off Tamil Nadu (TN) coast is covered by TN fishing fleet and there is no scope for additional catch from the shelf area. The landings grew continuously till 1997, witnessed a sharp fall during 1998-2004 and then a sharp increase in the following years 2006-09 hitting the new peak of 5.39 lakh tonnes well beyond the potential yield estimate of 4.25 lakh tonnes by CMFRI. A section of the TN fishing fleet depend heavily on fishing in neighbouring waters and nearly 20% of the catch comes from South Andhra and Sri Lankan waters. Deep sea fishing is already in vogue in TN as Kanyakumari’s Thoothoor fishers with a fleet of approximately 500 long-liners cum gillnetters reigning all over the west coast and landing their catch at Kochi. Chennai gillnetters and a tiny fleet of long-liners in Puducherry have already started fishing beyond the shelf on the east coast

Role of Women in Fisheries in Coastal Eco-System of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu

Fish eaters in the study area comprise 47 per cent of the total population ranging from 237 per cent in Tamil Nadu to 85 per cent in Kerala. Though the position of Tamil Nadu in terms of number of coastal districts and possession of coast line including the number of landing centres, is envious, the number of fish eaters in the state is minimal. Andhra Pradesl') employs 32 per cent of its fisherwomen in fish curing/drying/net making and 27 per cent in processing plant works

Exploited seerfish fishery resources of India - A review

Seerfishes forming 1.7 % of the total marine Jish catch of the country are considered as one of the high value resources Andhra Pradesh (14.3%) and Tami Nadu (11.5%) on the east coast and Gujarat (22.8%). Maharashtra (16.9%) and Kerala (16.1%) on the west coast are the principal contributors of seerfish. They are caught mainly in gillnet (65.12%) and hook & line (6.96%) from 25-50 m depth zone and. in trawl (11.47%) operated from beyond 50 m depth. Of the five species available in Indian waters, the fishery is sustained by the king seer Scomberomorus commerson and the spotted seer S.guttatus. The stock assessment studies on the king seer revealed that the present yield in different regions of the country are closer to MSY. However there is scope for stepping up production by extending fishing operations to the deeper waters beyond 50 m depth. The paper reviews their fishery, biology and stock characteristics in Indian waters

Distribution, biology and behaviour of the giant trevally, Caranx ignobilis - a candidate species for mariculture

Fishery and biology of the giant trevally, Caranx ignobilis exploited along the Tuticorin coast of Tamilnadu were monitored during 2001-2006. Fishery occurred round the year with peak landings during April.August. Spawning and recruitment occur almost round the year with peak during November-Decembcr. Young ones are abundant in shallow coastal waters and as grows, they move to deeper waters