Author(s): Sreekanth GB, Manju Lekshmi N, Narendra Pratap Singh

Abstract: The inshore coastal waters where traditional and motorised fisheries operate contain rich fishing grounds. The gears such as shore seines and drag nets are operated from the beach, while gillnets, drift nets, traps and hooks and lines are operated from boats along the coastal waters. Estuaries are important coastal ecosystems that yield rich variety of fishes, crustaceans and molluscan resources. These ecosystems provide breeding, hiding and nursery grounds for more than 200 species of marine fishes and shellfishes. However, no extensive studies were done earlier to catalogue the fishery and species diversity in these ecosystems. The Zuari estuary, one of the major estuaries of Goa, located in the southwest coast of India connecting to the Arabian Sea through Mormugao Bay represents a very rich coastal ecosystem for fishery resources. A traditional fishery comprising of motorised and non-motorised boats operate gillnets and hook lines exist in the Zuari estuary. An effort was made in this study to catalogue the fisheries profile and fish and shellfish diversity in Zuari estuary.

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