Fishing Chimes Vol. 31 No.1/Apri12011 Cora,1reel Os,hes 01 Gun of Maunar, S.E _India Molly Varghese, Mary K.Manisseri, N.Ramamurthy, P.M.Geetha, V.J.Thomas and A.Gandhi Mandapam Regional Centre of CMFRI, Mandapam Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochin
The coral ree f ecosys ~m SUPp'orts a wide variely of flora and launa an(l GuJr of Fig. I. ~'.lap of Gulf of tvlallnar showi ng the fsland s Mallnar fS one of lis kind, loealed In the south-east or India. It oomprises 21 slands along llle '140 km slmtch bel '/oon Tulfco.rin and Rami1swaram. The ma p of Gulrof Mennar showing tho 21 lslantts is given In Fig.1.
It is one of the Marine Biosphere
Reserves in India and the extensive areas " V ~:\ N rse /H~n !(.A:~UV~AH JS L :~NP of coral reefs have a variety of food fishes 1~~, -vA U\I,SLANn J l
for lhe period from J una j 2006 to Novembor, 2010. The r shing methods prEl,c t ~ed at Ihese centres ware: tr wll l1 g, 18,Odonus niger 50, C. octofasciatus gillnetllng, fishing by traps and by hooks & 19. Sufflamen fraenatum 51. C.pfebeius lioBeS. A IOlal 01 183 species belo nglrlg 10 9.Family Belonidae 52, C. trifasciafis 5 families were recorded. A family wIse 20.Strongylura leiura 53. C. trifasciatus IIsl allhe reli! .ish species observed from 21. Tyfosurus crocodifus crocodifus 54, C. vagabundus Gulf of Mannar is given in Table 1. 10.Family Caesionidae 55. C,xanthocephalus 22. Caesio caerulaurea 56,Heniochus acuminatus Table 1. Family wise list of coral 23, C, cuning 13.Family Chirocentridae reef fishes observed il1 Gulf of Mannar 24.C, xanthonota 57.Chirocentrus dorab during 2006 - 2010 25, Pterocaesio chrysozona 14.Family Clupeidae 11.Family Carangidae 58. Ambfygaster sirm 1.Family Dasyatidae 26,Afectis indica 59. Sardinella albella 1, Neotrygon kuhlii 27.A ciliaris 60, S. gibbosa 2, Pastinachus sephen 2B.Afepes djedaba 15.Family Dactylopteridae 3,Himantura uarnak 29.Atufe mate 61,Oactyfoptena orientafis 2.Family Myliobatidae 30,Carangoides armatus 16.Family Drepaneidae 4.Aetobatus narinari 31. C. chrysophrys 62.orepane punctata 5. Rhinoptera javanica 32, C. coeruleopinna tus 17.Family Ephippidae 3.Family Rhinobatidae 33. C. hedfandensis 63.Ephippus orbis 6.Rhynchobatus djiddensis 34,Caranx heberi 64.Platax teira 4.Family Acanthuridae 35. C. hippos 18.Family Fistulariidae 7. Acanlhurus gahhm 36,Gnathanodon speciosus 65, Fistularia petimba 8, A/inealus 37.Megafaspis cordyfa 19.Family Haemulidae 9,Amata 3B.Parastromateus niger 66.0iagramma picla 1O.A. nigricauda 39.Scomberoides commersonnianus 67.Plectorhinchus afbovittatus 11.A. triostegLis 40, S, fysan 68, P diagrammus 12. Axanthopterus 41. S, tala 69,p gaterinus 13Zebrasoma velifer 42, S. tol 70.Ppictus 5.Family Antennariidae 43,Sefar crumenophthalmus 71,pschotaf 14,Antennarius pictus 44,Selaroides leptolepis 72.Pomadasys maculatus 6.Family Apogonidae 12.Family Chaetodontidae 20.Family Holocentridae 15,Apogon aureus 45, Chaetodon auriga 73,Myripristis murdjan 7.Family Aulostomidae 46, C. collare 74.Sargocentron rubrum 16,Aulostomus chinensis 47.C. decussatus 21.Family Labridae B.Family Balistidae 48.C. gardineri 75. Cheilinus chlorourus 17. Balistoides viridescens 49.C.lunula Cont'd next page"" c1f[
Im. :~,{ ______1a;I ,~v ' < '\ Fishing Chimes Vol. 31 No.1 IApril2011
Cont'd from pre page .... Fig.2. Major families in terms of number of species observed during tile present study 76. C. undulatus 77. Coris formosa 78. Halichoeres hortulanus 79. H. nigrescens 80.H. zeylonicus 81. Hemigymnus melapterus 82. Thalassoma lunare 22.Family Latidae 83.Psammoperca waigiensis 23.Family Lethrinidae 84.Gymnocranius griseus 85.Lethrinus harak 86.L. lentjan 87.L. mahsena Ct;J DOtodon D HHCmuikliJ 88. L. microdon Carangidao I~~~~~~~~\ ~~~~~;~~======:::J 89.L. miniatus Caesionidae ~C!:::::~~~ 90.L. nebulosus Acallthuridao ~r;::::::-::::-::::-::::-::::::~ 91.L. ornatus .. (J 1 92. L. variegatus 24.Family Lutjanidae 93.Aphareus rutilans 94.Aprion virescens 95. Lutjanus argentimaculatus Fig.3. Gesrwlse and spocioswiso landing of roof fishes from Gulf or Mannar 96. L. bengalensis 97.L. bohar Hook & Line 98.L. decussatus 10 9'0 99. L. fulviflamma H otLom !HJ"t Gntnu~ 16'11. 100.L. fulvus Tr.awl 101.L. gibbus 47%. 102.L. kasmira 103.L. lemniscatus 104. L. lutjanus 105.L. madras 106.L. quinquelineatus 107.L. rivulatus 108. L. russelli 109. L. vitta 110.Pinjalo pinjalo 25.Family Malacanthidae 129. Seolopsis bimaeulata 145. Leptoscarus vaigiensis 111. Malacanthus latovittatus 130. S. vosmeri 146. Searus ghobban 26.Family Menidae 32.Family Ostraciidae 147. S. psittacus 112.Mene maculata 131 .Ostracion eubicus 41.Family Scorpaenidae 27.Family Monacanthidae 132. Tetrosomus gibbosus 148.Pterois russeJli 113.Acreichthys tomentosus 33.Family Pempheridae 149. Rhinopias eschmeyeri 114.Aluterus monoceros 133. Pempheris molueea 150. Scorpaenopsis gibbosa 28.Family Mugilidae 34.Family Platycephalidae 42.Family Serranidae 115. Valamugil seheli 134. Coeiella erocodilus 151.Cephalopholis argus 29.Family Mullidae 35.Family Plotosidae 152.C.boenak · 116.Mulloidichthys flavolineatus 135. Plotosus lineatus 153.C. formosa 117.Parupeneus barberinus 36.Family Pomacanthidae 154.C.sonnerati 118. P forsskali 136.Apolemichthys xanthurus 155.Epinephelus chlorostigma 119.P heptacanthus 137.Pomacanthus semicirculatus 156. E. coeruleopunctatus 120. P indicus 37.Family Pomacentridae 157. E. corallicola 121.P maeronemus 138.Abudefduf bengalensis 158. E. fasciatus 122. Upeneus moluccensis 139.A. saxatilis 159. E. flavocaeruleus 123. U. tragula 140. A. septemfasciatus 160. E. longispinis 124. U. vittatus 141. A. vaigiensis 161. E. maeulatus 30.Family Muraenidae 3a.Family Priacanthidae 162.E. malabaricus 125.Gymnothorax favagineus 142. Priacanthus hamrur 163. E. merra 126.G.punctatus 39.Family Rachycentridae 164. E.polyphekadion 127. Uropterygius concolor 143.Rachycentron canadum 165.E. tauvina 31.Family Nemipteridae 40.Family Scaridae 166. E. undulosus 128.Nemipterus furcosus 144. Bolbometopon muricatum Cont'd next page . ".~ ------>~, ;:.~; .mw.·-- Fishing Chimes Vol. 31 No.1 IApril2011 Cont'd from pre page .... namely, Chaetodon plebeius, C. gardineri, set gillnet with 47 species ; the least 167.Pogonoperca ocellata Rhinopias esehmeyeri, Ablabys binotatus, number of 29 species being recorded by 43.Family Siganidae Pleetorhinehus gaterinus, Parupeneus hooks & lines. 168. Siganus canaliculatus forsskali and Pogonoperea oeellata are 169.S. javus new records from India as per Fish Base. As per IUCN Red- List, the status is not 170. S.linea tus The present study also confirms evaluated with respect to most of the fishes 171.S.spinus identification of seven species, viz. observed during the present study. Among 44.Family Sillaginidae Acanthurus gahhm, Caranx hippos, those evaluated, Cheilinus undulatus is an 172. Sil/ago sihama Plectorhinchus diagrammus, Lethrinus Endangered species (EN); Bolbometopon 45.Family Soleidae miniatus, Pempheris molucca, muricatum, Himantura uamak, Rhinoptera 173. Pardachirus pavoninus Scorpaenopsis gibbosa and Epinephelus javaniea and Rhynchobatus djiddensis are 46.Family Sphyraenidae coral/ieola, occurrence of which in India is Vulnerable species (VU); Epinephelus 174.Sphyraena barracuda questionable as per FishBase. malabaricus, E.polyphekadion and 175. S. flavicauda Aetobatus narinari are Near Threatened 176. S.jel/o Of the 183 species observed, the major species (NT); Neotrygon kuhfii, 47.Family Synodontidae families in terms of number of species are Pastinachus sephen, Epinephelus 177.Saurida tumbil depicted in Fig .2; those families having less coral/icola, Etauvina and Eundulosus are 178. Trachinocephalus myops than 4 species are not shown in this figure. grouped as Data Deficient (DO) and 11 48.Family Tetraodontidae species viz. Cephalophofis argus, 179.Arothron hispidus From the graph it is clear that the C.boenak, C. formosa, C.sonnerati, 180.A. stellatus families Carangidae, Lutjanidae and Epinephelus chlorostigma, 49.Family Tetrarogidae Serranidae dominated considerably with E. coeruleopunctatus, E. fasciatus, 181.Ablabys binotatus 19, 18 and 17 species respectively. The E.flavocaeruleus, E. longispinis, E. 50. Family Terapontidae number of species of reef fishes landed maculatus and E merra are considered 182. Terapon theraps by different fishing gears employed in Gulf as Least Concern sp ecies (LC). Hence, it 51.Family Zanclidae of Mannar is depicted in Fig.3. is necessary to take proper conservation 183.Zanclus comutus measures in order to ensure sustainable The trawl landings constitute the utilisation, avoiding likely depletion of the Out of the 183 species of Cartilaginous maximum number with 144 species , endangered and vulnerable species and and Bony fishes recorded, 7 species followed by trap with 81 species, bottom degradation of the fragile ecosystem. ~
Olive Ridley hatchlings released into sea at Visakhapatnam
According to a report by Nivedita system is effective in the region as it IN SAFE HANDS: A conservationist Ganguly in the Hindu 18 th April 2011 , reduces the damage due to various with a handful of Olive Ridley hatchlings the first batch of Olive Ridley sea turtle disturbances in the area . The was in charge before releasing them into hatchlings from the hatchery opposite incubation period is usually between the sea in Visakhapatnam. Police Mess at R . K. Beach of 45-51 days under natural conditions, Visakhapatnam was released by Chief but may extend to 70 days in poor The founder president of Visakha Conservator of Forests, Pradeep weather conditions. It takes another Society for Protection and Care of Kumar on 17 April 2011 morning. A total four to five days for the hatchlings to Animals (VSPCA), Mr. Pradeep Kumar of 260 turtle hatchlings were released come out. The success rate of the Nath, who coordinated the event, said into the sea. The initiative was hatcheries is said to be 90 per cent, the VSPCA has been involved in launched by Visakha Society for making it an effective method in the protection of Olive Ridley turtles since Protection and Care of Animals conservation of the Olive Ridleys. 1996. (VSPCA) in association with the Forest Department. The Olive Ridley is classified as The forest department extended 'vulnerable' according to the International financial support last year in setting up The Tree Foundation, Chennai and the Union for Conservation of Nature and hatcheries from Visakhapatnam to Winsome Constance Kindness Trust, Natural Resources (IUCN), and is listed in Bhimili. Mr. Nath said this year so far 330 Australia, extend support to protect the Appendix I of Convention on International nestings had been sighted and there was globally threatened species, along Vizag Trade in Endangered Species of Wild a possibility to release 33,00 hatchlings beaches. "VSPCA has been involved in the Fauna and Flora (CITES). into the sea by end of the season in May protection of the endangered turtles since 2011. 1996-97. This year, so far, 330 nestings Hatching success can be dependent on have been sighted, with the possibility of beach, year, changing environmental He said since 1996, five lakh releasing 33,330 hatchlings into the sea conditions and rates of nest predation. hatchlings had been released into the by the end of the season, by May 2011 Hatchlings are preyed upon, when they sea. This year more hatcheries would e.nd, travel across the beach into water, by be set up on the coast uplo Srikakulam vultures, frigate birds , crabs, raccoons, and create awaren ess among the Vis a khapatnam is a sporadic coyotes, iguanas, and snakes. In the water, people in October this year, Mr. Nath nesting site of th e Olive Ridley turtles. hatchling predators include oceanic fishes, said. Conservationists say that the hatchery sharks, and crocodiles. -