Fishery, species diversity and resource characteristics of exploited sardine resources of the genera Sardinella were studied
during 2000-2008. Sardines were exploited by sardine gillnets, trawls and shore seine. Annual average production for the
period was 20,249 t. They formed about one fourth of the total marine fish production (77,443 t) of the region. Fishery was
supported by eight species dominated by Sardinella gibbosa, followed by S. sirm, S. albella and S. longiceps. Fishery
fluctuated widely with declining trend over the years mainly due to reduction in the fishing effort following destruction of
traditional crafts and gears during the Tsunami in 2004. Oilsardine in the fishery registered an increasing trend with wide
annual fluctuation during the period. Stock assessment studies show that the exploitation rate of major species ranged between
0.45 and 0.62, against the EMSY value of 0.72 and 0.86. This indicated that sardine resource as a whole is under-exploited,
offering considerable scope for enhancing their yield. Despite contributing a higher share to marine fish production, sardines,
along with other small pelagics, play a vital ecological role in sustaining the stock and fishery of other predatory groups
especially large pelagics by providing them a major share of their forage. They support 46 to 87% of the total food of pelagic
predators and 14 to 29% of demersal predators
