Despite the fact that several communications in the past have dealt with the trend of tuna fishery at different
centres along the west coast of India, no directed attempt has been made till date to study the tuna fishery during the
southwest monsoon period along this coast and to synthesise its problems and prospects. The present mmmunication
deals with their trend, general fishery, craft and gear employed in the fishing, fishing grounds, seasonal variation
in catch, effort and catch rate and characteristics during premonsoon, monsoon and post seasons. In addition,
the species composition and length composition of major species during different seams and available information
of the spawning biology of tunas along the west coast of India are also dealt with. The effect of tuna fishing. demand
and price structure during monsoon period as cornpad to other spasons and the management meas- are also
presented and discussed
