Significant Achievements in the last 5 years

Capture Fisheries

• Advisories for management of marine fisheries of Maharashtra by taking into account long term sustainability of the commercially important resources became more relevant. Based on biological investigations on 30 species and stock assessment of 23 species, recommendations for reducing the trawling fleet by 47%, two closed seasons for trawling (10th June to 15th August and 15th February to 15th March) and restrictions on the Karli dol fishery off Vasai-Jaffarabad (nursery area) for pomfret juveniles have been suggested to State Fisheries Department, Maharashtra. The quantum of bycatch and discards by trawl net fishery was analysed and reported. Analyses of growth and mortality parameters and recruitment patterns of commercially important fishes, prawns and cephalopods estimated and stock assessments were done and reported. Rapid stock assessment of commercially important pelagic, demersal, crustacean and molluscan resources was done and the present status was reported. Out of the 18 species of fish investigated, 11 were found to be optimally exploited and 7 were under exploited; two species of cephalopods were optimally exploited and four species of commercially most important penaeid prawns were underexploited. Reduction of pomfret spawning stock due to recruitment overfishing were estimated and reported. Recruitment dynamics modellng of non-penaeid prawns of Maharashtra were done. Effect of purse seine fishing on the ecosystem and biodiversity of Maharashtra waters were analysed and fleet size regulations were recommended to Maharashtra State Fisheries Department. Impact of oil spillage on the fishery, environment and livelihood aspects of fishermen was assessed and reported to Maharashtra State Fisheries Department

Mariculture

• GIS based potential mariculture sites and collection of ground truth data along the Maharashtra coast, a site at Nevre off Ratnagiri was recommended for the open sea cage culture. Comprehensive area specific GIS maps for potential mariculture sites were prepared for the entire Indian coastline. Under capture-based aquaculture systems, low-cost GI pipe cage (3 m dia.) was developed for mariculture. The technology was successfully demonstrated and being adopted by marginal fishers of Maharashtra. Seed survey of commercially important marine fin fish species along Maharashtra coast were carried out and reported. Successfully demonstrated culture of Silver pompano (Trachinotus blochii) in cages at Malwan (Sindhudurg) district of Maharashtra. Culture of Lobsters juveniles (P. polyphagus) is popularized under the Tribal Sub Plan project for increasing earnings of Tribal fishers in Maharashtra.

Fishery Environment Management

• Monitoring of environmental parameters salinity, pH, temperature, DO, turbidity, BOD, bacterial contamination (TPC) and heavy metals in the fishing areas revealed severe deterioration of seawater quality in the creeks and inshore waters but relatively cleaner offer shore waters around Mumbai. Water, sediments, fish, crustacean and molluscan tissue samples for pre decided heavy metals to study bioaccumulation and biomagnifications are collected for analysis. Impact and yield study of environmental changes on distribution shifts in small pelagics along the Maharashtra coast have been undertaken for oil sardine and mackerel. Estimated plastic and litter composition and its quantification from 30 beaches of Maharashtra coast.

Social Science

• mKRISHI® technology: Initially direct beneficiaries in the Raigad district were 20 that is enhanced to 45 now and indirect beneficiaries in Mewat, Dhar, Ganjam and other districts by IARI and TCS are approximately 3000. mKRISHI® Fisheries technology: mKRISHI® fisheries Service mobile handsets were distributed to 330 beneficiaries in 56 fishermen cooperative societies. Expansion of mobile signal in deep sea was tested off Raigad coast up to 30-33 km. Commercial launch of mKRISHI® Fisheries mobile technology was released through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode for public. Wheeled Ice-boxes with pulling handles and lifting mechanism: Ice boxes of different capacity (40, 50 & 100 litres) are used to keep the quality of fish intact, save revenue and reduce manual efforts. These boxes are useful for small, marginal and weaker petty sellers including women. Sturdy 100 litre ice boxes are used in return boat trip in sunny conditions. Saguna Rice Technique: About 300 stakeholder and farmers were sensitized to this technique. Hundred DVD’s of a documentary were released along with booklets in English and Marathi. Created awareness on the shark conservation to the fishermen of Palghar Dist.,of Maharashtra.

Biodiversity

• Biodiversity indices of marine fishery resources caught in trawl net and Dol nets were estimated and reported. Estimation of phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos diversity as well as their quantifications was done. Database of corals and associated flora and fauna were reported from Sindhudurg Dist.of Maharashtra, Goa and Karwar, Karnataka. Awareness and training were given to the officials of Forest Dept., Fisheries Dept., Animal Husbandry Dept., Customs Dept., and the local fishermen regarding the stranding and sighting of Marine mammals in Sindhudurg Dist.,of Maharashtra.