'Kotibale' a new type of boat seine introduced at Malpe Fisheries Harbour

Marine fishing at Malpe during the monsoon months (June to August) is being carried out only by the motorlsed canoes as fishing by mechanised vessels is banned by the Kamataka Government

Fire accident occurred at the Malpe Fisheries Harbour premises on 31-12-1993

On the fire accident occurred at the Malpe Fisheries Harbour premises on 31-12-199

On the landing of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) Smith off Malpe, Dakshina Kannada coast

On 13 December, 1990, one whale shark (juvenile, female) weighing 900 kg was captured by a 53 feet purse-seiner 11 km off Malpe at depth 36 m around 1000 hrs and landed at the Fisheries Harbour. Documentation of the occurence of this species assist in understanding the habits and natural history of this rare species, which has been used as an 'indicator species' of their forage resources such as sardines and anchovies in the neritic realm.

On a whale shark Rhincodon typus landed at Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada coast

One whale shark Rhincodctn typus Smith was accidentally caught by a multiday trawl boat on 27-3-1997 at a depth of 30 m off Murdeshwara, about 160 km north of Mangalore. The shark got entangled in the trawl net and was brought to the Mangalore Fisheries Harbour on the same day

Shoaling of Metapenaeus dobsoni in the inshore waters of Malpe

Along the Dakshina Kannada cost the monsoon months (June-August) in every year are usually observed as closed season by the mechanised fishing boats. During this time a variety of artisanal crafts and gears are operated by the local fishermen

Fish aggregating devices used for cephalopod fishery along the Karnataka coast

FADs are traditionally used by fishermen to attract and aggregate fishes closer to the shore. Such practices were based on their knowledge that fish tend to congregate over submerged structures. These objects are known to attract fish efficiently and increase the productivity of the area as they provide shelter from predators, serves as feeding grounds by providing surface area for fish food organisms and even act as suitable spawning ground by giving substratum for the attachment of eggs for many fishes

Kairampani – The Traditional Shore Seine Fishing of Karnataka

Kairampani, the traditional shore seine of coastal Karnataka in South India, is an effective indigenous fi shing operation, still practiced along coastal Karnataka. A larger version of this shore seine, namely Rampani has become obsolete with the advent of mechanization in craft and gear. The following study on the use of the mini shore seine, which is on the verge of extinction, revealed that Kairampani is now being used sporadically across coastal Karnataka and the number has dwindled to few units from hundreds during ancient times. It is used mainly during the monsoon months of June–August. It is a labor-intensive operation involving 40–50 fi shermen pulling the nets from the shore with their hands, as the dhoni (a traditional boat), with its crew fi shes at sea with the encircling nets. Hence the name “Kairampani” where ‘kai’ in the local Tulu dialect has dual meaning, i.e., ‘hand’ or ‘small’. The Kairampani catch mainly consists of prawns (Metapenaeus dobsonii, Parapenopsis stylifera), sciaenids (Johnius glaucus, Otolithes ruber), Lactarius lactarius, soles (Cynoglossus cynoglossus), mackerels, and sardines. Though the rapid mechanization of crafts and gears have phased out traditional fi shing operations such as Kairampani, these traditional methods nevertheless are being used sporadically in certain parts of coastal Karnataka during the monsoon season when there is mechanized ban and ensure fresh quality of fi sh at a higher price during the lean season

Large scale exploitation of the Unicorn leatherjacket by multiday trawlers

Aluterus monoceros commonly known as the Unicorn leatherjacket or filefishes were exploited by multiday trawlers in Karnataka, but catch volumes were always low. However since mid-April 2015, large quantities were landed both at Mangalore and Malpe Fishing Harbours. The fish has limited preference in local markets but fetches a very good price in other domestic markets and the fishers were happy with the unusual catches

An unusual catch of sharks in a purse seine at Malpe, Karnataka

An unusual catch of sharks in a purse seine fishery at Malpe on the Dakshlna Kannada coast in Karnataka On 10-10-1990 was observed. A single purse seine boat landed approximately 3.5 tonnes of sharks together with the seerflsh Scomberomorous commerson, (400 kg), catfish Tachysurus serratus (100 kg) and the kingfish Rachycentron canadus (100 kg) . The sharks were identified as the black-tip shark Carcharhtnus limbatus

First record of Pig eye shark, Carcharhinus amboinensis (Muller & Henle, 1839) from Karnataka

The pig eye shark, Carcharhinus amboinensis is a requiem shark found in tropical waters between latitudes 260 N and 260 S, from the surface to 150m