On a whale shark Rhincodon typus found accompanied by its young ones

On 3rd March 1996 at 0800 hrs during one of the routine observations on the long-line mussel culture, about 5 km off Adimalathurai south of Vizhinjam, the caudal fin of a whale shark projecting over the water was observed from the Research Vessel Cadamin VI

Pamban Bridge

It is believed that upto the first quarter of 15 th century Mandapam and Pamban were connected by a strip of land. A cyclone in 15th century resulted in the submergence of that connecting strip of land between Mandapam and Pamban. After that boat service was the only mode of transport between Mandapam and Pamban

On the landing of an olive ridley turtle at Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu and updated record of incidental catches of sea turtles in India

Five species of the sea turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea (Olive ridley turtle), Chelonia mydas (Green turtle) Eretemochelys tmbricata (Hawksbill turtle), Caretta caretta (Loggerhead turtle) and Dermochelys coriacea (Leatherback turtle) are foimd along the coasts of India including Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands

A note on giant devil ray Mobula diabolus caugt at Vizhinjam

On 19.6.95 two female giant devil rays Mobula diabolus (Shaw) measuring respectively 442 and 450 cm across the disc and weighing 800 and 850 kg were caught in a gill net operated at a depth of 45-50 m in the inshore waters of Vizhinjam

On the nesting site and hatchlings of olive ridley turtle observed at Muller, Near Vizhinjam, southwest coast of India

Five species of marine turtles of our waters have been included in the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 and are considered as endangered species. The olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea is one among them

Giant sea pike caught

A large size giant sea pike (Sphyraena jello) (Cuvier) measuring 1.45 m in total length and weighing 25 kg was caught in the hook and line off Vizhinjam

Accidental catches of dolphins in Kanyakumari coast from 1995 to 2000

Dolphins frequently enter the coastal waters mainly for feeding or breeding and often get entangled in fishing gears such a gill nets, trawl nets and purse seines. Our information regarding dolphins are restricted mainly to the reports on the accidental catch and occasional strandings from different parts of the coast. Accidenta

Some observations on dol (bag) net fishery at Sassoon dock, Bombay

The paper describes the species composilion of the Dol (Bag) net catches at Sasoon Dock a major landing centre in Bombay, from January to Deccmbu. 1971, grouping them into two main categories, those occurring throughout the year and the those having seasonal occurrence and then reclassifying them into market categories. The estimated dol net catches fluctuated between 215 and 1485 tonnes during the year. The monthly average catch was 829.5 tonnes which formed 41.6% of the total landings. A list of 33 species caught in Dol nel and their percentage composition is given

Occurrence of small-sized oil sardine, sardinella longiceps (Valenciennes) at Vizhinjam

An unusual catch of 37 numbers of small sized oil sardines were reported in the shore-seine catches at Vizhinjam on 30.8.2002.The present occurrence of small sized oil sardines is probably the result of spawning activity, which occurred a few months earlier along the coast

The relative magnitudes of pelagic and demersal Groups of fishes in the total landings at sasoon dock In 1971 and 1981 — a comparison

The contribution of pelagic fishes to the total landings at Sassoon Dock, Bombay, registered a decline from 31.4% in 1971 to 18.1% in 1981, mainly due to a fall in landings of the bombayduck. The corresponding increase in the contribution of the demersal fishes was due to increase in the catches of penaeids and the species that are caught in association with them, such as sciaenids, elasmobranchs, catfishes, threadfin breams and cephalopods. This significant change in contribution was mainly the result of addition of a large number of trawlers. Also, probably finding the bombayduck resources declining, and attracted by the more lucrative prawn fishery, many dol-net units were converted into trawling units