CMFRI Bulletin 43
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CMFRI bulletin 43 APRIL 1989 MARINE LIVING RESOURCES OF THE UNION TERRITORY OF LAKSHADWEEP- An Indicative Survey With Suggestions For Development CENTRAL MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) P, B. No. 2704, E. R. G. Road, Cochin-682 031, India CMFRI bulletin 43 APRIL 1989 MARINE LIVING RESOURCES OF THE UNION TERRITORY OF LAKSHADWEEP- An Indicative Snrvey With Suggestions For Development >«»">>, \ *- "tonmTV- ^ CENTRAL MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (Indian Council of Agricultural Rasaarch) P. B. No. 2704, E. R. G. Road, 682031, India Bulletins are issued periodically by Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute to interpret current knowledge in the various fields of research on marine fisheries and allied subjects in India Copyright Reserved © Published by P. S. B. R. JAMES Director Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Cochin 682031, India Edited by C. SUSEELAN Scientist Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Cochin 682031, India Limited Circulation CONTENTS Preface lii Introduction P. S. B. R. James ... ... ... 1 History of Marine Research in Lakshadweep P. S. B. R. James ... ... ... 9 Some Observations on the Fisheries of Lakshadweep P. S. B. R. James, P. P. Pillai and A. A. Jayaprakash ... ... 25 Tuna Resources and Plan for Development P, S B. R. Jam«s, P. P. Pillai and K. P. S. Koya ... ... 33 Live-Bait Resources and Development M. Kumaran, and 4 others ... ... ... 39 Resources of Ornamental Fishes V. S. Murthy, M, Kumaran and R. S. Lalmohan ... ... ... 46 Other Finfish Resources M. Kumaran, R. S. Lalmohan and V. S. Murthy ... ... 6S Crustacean Resources G. S. Rao, C. Suseelan and M. KathirTcl ... ... ... 72 Molluscan Resources K. K. Appukuttan and 4 Others ... ... ... 77 Potential for Development of Pearl Culture K. Alagarswaml, A. Cbellam and A. C. C. Victor ... ... 93 Echinoderms of Lakshadweep and their Zoogeography D. B. James ... ... ... 97 Beche-de-mer Resources D. B. James ... ... ... 144 Sponge Fauna P. A. Thomas ... ... ... ISO Seaweed and Seagrass Resources N. Kaliaperumal, P. Kaladharan and S. Kallmutbu ... ... 162 Turtle Resources R. S. Lalmohan ... ... ... 167 The Coral Fauna C. S. G. Pillai and S. Jasmine ... ... 179 Some Observations on the Marine Mammals and Marine Birds R. S, Lalmoban ... ... ... 195 Hydrobiology of the Lagoons K. G. Girijavallabban, I. Daridraj and S V. Alavandi ... ... 200 Environmental Damage and Consequences P. S, B R. James and 4 others ... ... 212 Underwater Observations in the Lagoons A. C. C. Victor, A. Chellam and K. Ramadoss ... 227 Mariculture Potential R. S. Lalfflohan, D.B.James and S. Kalimuthu ... ... 243 Suggestions for Establishing a National Marine Park P. S. B. R. James and C. S. G. Pillai ... ... ... 248 Development of Fisheries-Recommendations P. S. B. R.James and 3 otliers ... ... .. 253 PREFACE The Union Territory of Lakshadweep located in the southern Arabian sea is endowed with many natural resources. Since isolated from the mainland of India, however, the inhabitants of these islands had to live for ages in utter baclcwardness, ill-health and poverty. After the islands became a Union Territory of India in 1956, there has been rapid progress in the field of agriculture, fisheries, education, health etc. Next in importance to agriculture, the fisheries sector plays an important role in the economy of the islands. Realising that the marine fisheries has to play a key role in maintaining and upgrading the standard of living in the Lakshadweep islands, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute established a Research Centre at Minicoy in 1956 with limited facilities. This centre has carried out extensive research on tunas, live bait fishes, coral reefs and fishery oceanography of the area more particularly around Minicoy. The /esults of studies so far conducted on the marine fisheries and related aspects in Lakshadweep have been recently reviewed in a special issue of the Marine Fisheries Information Service : Technical and Extension Series (No. dd) published by this institute. Of late, the Government of India have assigned top priority for 'planned development of its island territories and in 1985 the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri. Rajeev Gandhi himself visited the Islands to personally appraise himself of the problems faced by the islanders and to usher a speedy development programme. He observed that fisheries being a major natural resource of the Union Territory there was urgent need for systematic planning and implementation of fisheries development schemes. Keeping this in view and to widen our knowledge of the marine living resources of the islands and related environmental parameters which would help in accelerated development of the fisheries sector, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute has carried out a comprehensive survey of the fishery potential of the Islands from January to M^rch 1987 involving 24 expert scientists under my leadership. The survey has been very successful in that the scientists were able to collect considerable amount of data and scientific material from all the inhabited and most of the uninhabited islands. The present Bulletin embodies the scientific results of this survey assessing the various types of fishery resources and their potential; impact of environmental damages of the endangered ecosystems such as coral reefs; evaluating the ancillary marine resources such as sea cucumbers, sponges and ornamental fishes; identifying areas and species suitable for mariculture in the islands and suggesting measures that would help the administration and development agencies in perspective planning and development of fisheries in Lakshadweep. I deeply appreciate the hard work, sense of devotion and unfailing enthusiasm evinced by my colleagues in fulfilling this mission-oriented and time bound survey programme bringing to light considerable amount of fresh information on the fishery potential of Lakshadweep as reflected in the various contributions included in this Bulletin. My sincere thanks are due to Dr. C. Suseelan for editing the papers and bringing out this bulletin. P. S. B. R. James Director Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute INTRODUCTION P. S. B. R. James The Union Territory of Lakshadweep, con grow only to a height which would prevent its sisting of several inhabited and uninhabited exposure during low tides. A reef may be about islands, lie between 08°00'N and 12°30'N 300 m across with channels in its perimeter latitudes and 7r00'E and 74°C0'E longitudes. which allow the inflow of tidal waters in the The remoteness of the island territory from the lagoon. The islands are formed by the accumu mainland has forced the inhabitants to live in lation of coral sand in the form of sand bars isolation amidst injustice, poverty, ignorance and with the action of wind, waves and currents. ill health. Coconut and tuna formed the mainstay Later it got compressed into sand stone. In of the economy of the islanders. The lagoons course of time vegetation got established and and the surrounding waters are replete with a the consequent ecological succession took place. wide variety of flora and fauna. The tunas and The height of the land above sea level in the the food fishes were being exploited ever since islands is generally 1-2 metres. Coral boulders human settlement. The islands became a Union are heaped up on one side of some of the Territory of India in 1956. Since then there has islands due to natural calamities like cyclones been rapid progress especially in the fields of and heavy storms. agriculture, fisheries, education, health etc. Next in importance to agriculture, the fisheries The archipelago consists of 12 atolls, three sector, plays an important role in the economy reefs and five submerged banks. There are 36 of the islands. islands covering an area of 32 Sq. km. Of these only 10 islands, namely, Androth, Amini, Agatti, Geomorpho/ogy Bitra, Chetlat, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Kiltan and Minicoy are inhabited. Among the unhabit- The tiniest of Union Territory of India, ed islands, Bangaram is a tourist resort and Lakshadweep is located on the Laccadive- Suheli is a coconut growing and fishing centre. Chagos ridge which is supposed to be the Pitti or the bird island is small reef with sand continuation of the Aravali mountains. The bank covering an area of 1.2 hectare lying islands are believed to be the remnants of the north west of Kavaratti where terns in thousands submerged mountain cliffs and formed as a visit for nesting. The details of inhabited result of coral formation. The submarine bank islands are given in table 1. that supports the atolls rises from depth ranging from 1500 metres to 4000 metres. The Information in detail about Lakshadweep Laccadive, IVIaldive and Chagos Archipelagoes relating to georaphical features, land flora and form a contiguous submarine bank covering a fauna, history etc are given by Ellis (1924) and distance of over 2000 km. The atolls of the Mannadiar (1977). Except Androth all the island rest on an underwater platform of about islands have a lagoon, some of which are fast 100 fathom deep. The islands have formed as getting filled up by calcareous sand. Bitra has a result of many thousand years of reef building perhaps the most magnificient lagoon. Minicoy activity and the geological changes took place has a large and deep lagoon with a boat channel especially during Pleistocene period. The on the northern side giving safe access and subsidence of a volcanic island resulted in the anchorage to vessels of about 3 m draught. formation of a fringing reef and the continued The outer edges of atolls drop precipitously subsidence allowed this grow upwards. With to the ocean floor. Mostly on the eastern side the submerging of the island the atoll is formed the atolls overhang the precipitous shelf. The encircling the lagoon. The rim of the atolls can eastern side is generally more sheltered from Table 1. The names and details of the inhabited island in the UT of Lakshadweep.