An unusual occurrence of Oil Sardine in Pondicherry on east coast of India

The Indian oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps Valenciennes which forms 10 to 18% of the total fish landings in India, usually occurs in shoals along the west coast of India. Only stray catches of oil sardine have been reported from the east coast. But there has been noleport of its occurrence along the Pondicherry coast. During October-December, 1983 unusual landing of oil sardine in good quantities were noticed in Pondicherry state. During this period an sonivellam alias thenlivellam (drift flowing towards north) was strong instead of the usual southward drift (vannivellam). This was an unusual feature at this coast during monsoon months especially in November. This feature might have been a cause for the abundance of oil sardine in large quantities along the Pondicherry coast

Unusual Landing of Cat fish Tachysurus dussumieri at Madras.

About 2,000 numbers of cat fish Tachysurus dussumieri weighing approximately five tonnes were landed on 25-11-1987 by shore seine operation at Nochikuppam landing centre in Madras. The entire catch was realised from a single operation which is an unusual phenomenon along Madras coast

Occurrence of a large shoal of Javanese cownose ray, Rhinoptera javanica Muller & Henle in toe Bay of Bengal off Madras

The Javanese Cownose Ray, Rhinoptera Javanica Muller & Henle is known to congregate in large shoals and enter the coastal waters during the breeding season. Shipley and Hornell (1906) have reported the capture of 7000 individuals in a single net in Dutch Bay, Ceylon during the pearl fishery season of 1889. The occurrence of such shoals consisting of 500 to 4000 rays have been recorded in the Gulf of Mannar in India during the months of December-February (James 1962, 1970). Such shoals of R. javanica had not been recorded in any other area along the Indian coast

On a Sperm whale stranded at Madras

Fishermen at Kasimedu near Madras observed a whale struggling hard near to their fishing area in the coastal watery and soon it died. The stranded whale was found to be a young female measuring 3.90 m, estimated to be one year old

On two juvenile whale sharks Rhincodon typus Smith caught at Madras

The present report provides details regarding two juvenile whale sharks Rhincodon typus Smith, caught at Mullikuppam (Thiruvanmiyur) and Royapuram, Madras

Menace from medusae off Madras with notes on their utility and toxicity

Two species of jelly fish Crambionella stulhmanni (Chun) and Dactylometm quinquicirrha L. Agassiz were found to be common around Madras almost round the year. Based on the data collected from the Research Vessel Cadalmin III their effect on fish catch is studied for five years. It was found that the fish catch was less when medusae were abundant. Some remarks on the utility and toxicity of the medusae are also given in the paper

On the landing of a large saw fish at Madras

Landing of saw fish is rare besides being seasonal.A female saw fish Pristis microdon of 705 cm total length landed at Kasimedu fish landing centre of Madras city on 24 March, 1988, is by far the largest recorded

Instances of landings of whale shark Rhineodon typus in Indian coastal waters

In the present account details of landings of whale shark Rhineodon typus Smith from the fish landing centres at Injambakkam near Madras, Portonovo and Quilon. The detailed morphometric measurements of the specimens obtained were tabled and represented in the note. The low quantity and poor nutritional value of the meat and the absence of good markets make it highly unlikely that this species will be hunted like some others in the sea. So there is no danger of its extinction at present

Stock assessment of silverbellies of India with particular reference to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu

Along Indian coasts, the silveifoellies are exploited by trawl and aitisanal gears but bulk of the landings are obtained by tiawlt which operate up to SO m depth. During 1979-83, the estimated annual average silvetbelly landings were 69 000 tonnes, whereas during 1984-88 these were 62 000 tonnes. Maximum silveibelly landings were obtained in Tamil Nadu which contributed 70.5% ol total all-India silverbelly landings followed by Andhra Pradesh (9%), Kerala (8.4%), Kamataka (6%) and other sutes (6.1%). Out of 20 species of silveibellies, known to occur in the seas around India, LeiogiuUhus bindus and Secutor insidiator were most dominant along Andhra Pradesh and northern Tamil Nadu coasts, together contributing to 64% and SS% respectively of tilveibeUy landings. Along southern Tamil Nadu, L. joiusi and L. dussumeri were most dominant together forming about 60% of silvetbelly catch in the region

On a record of incidental capture of Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus (Cuvier) off Madras

The capture of a male Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus (Cuvier) measuring 2,450 mm in length is reported from Madras which is the first instance for its occurrence along the Coromandal coast. Its morphometric data and other details are presented