The acoustic surveys and fishing experiments
conducted by the research vessels
RASTRELLIGER and SARDINELLA of the
Pelagic Fishery Project from Ratnagiri to
the Gulf of Mannar for the past four years
have considerably enhanced our knowledge
of the pelagic fishery resources, their
abundance and seasonal distribution and
possible methods of exploitation (Anonymous
1974, 1975 & 1976). The average
annual landings of ribbon fish and cat fish
for the past ten years with 78,000tonnes
form only 7.7% of the total marine fish
production in India
