Not AvailableThe southeast coast of India bordering Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay has
luxuriant growth of seagrass beds which sustain good fisheries and is a
biodiversity hotspot. Many fishers living along the coast depend on
these resources for their livelihood. Several species of invertebrates and
vertebrates fully depend on the seagrass resources for their survival and
sustenance. In this paper, the diversity of species commonly associated
with the seagrass beds and their present status is presented followed by
the fisheries associated with this ecosystem. The type of fishing activities
including the details of crafts, gears, number of fishers involved and
catch statistics are presented. The main objective of this approach is to
understand how the fishing activities influence the ecosystem and
fishermen. Underwater monitoring and visual observations were
documented through photographs and videos. Artisanal fishing activities
such as bottom set gillnet, push net, lead-fish trap net and shore seine
are in detail discussed and the conservation measures which are
urgently required are also presented.Not Availabl
