Deep-Sea Fishing for Chondrichthyan Resources and Sustainability Concerns— a Case Study from Southwest Coast of India
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Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences Vol. 40(3), June 2011, pp. 347-355 Deep-sea fishing for chondrichthyan resources and sustainability concerns— a case study from southwest coast of India K. V. Akhilesh*, U. Ganga, N. G. K. Pillai, E. Vivekanandan, K. K. Bineesh, C. P. R. Shanis & M. Hashim Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, P.B. No. 1603, Ernakulam North PO, Cochin- 682 018, Kerala, India. *[E-mail: [email protected]] Received7 May 2010; revised 26 May 2010 Elasmobranchs comprising sharks, skates and rays have traditionally formed an important fishery along the Indian coast. Since 2000, Indian shark fishermen are shifting their fishing operations to deeper/oceanic waters by conducting multi- day fishing trips, which has resulted in considerable changes in the species composition of the landings vis- a-vis those reported during the 1980’s and 1990’s. A case study at Cochin Fisheries Harbour (CFH), southwest coast of India during 2008-09 indicated that besides the existing gillnet–cum- hooks & line and longline fishery for sharks, a targeted fishery at depths >300-1000 m for gulper sharks (Centrophorus spp.) has emerged. In 2008, the chondrichthyan landings (excluding batoids) were mainly constituted by offshore and deep-sea species such as Alopias superciliosus (24.2%), Carcharhinus limbatus (21.1%), Echinorhinus brucus (8.2%), Galeocerdo cuvier (5.4%), Centrophorus spp. (7.3%) and Neoharriotta pinnata (4.2%) while the contribution by the coastal species such as Sphyrna lewini (14.8%), Carcharhinus sorrah (1.4%) and other Carcharhinus spp. has reduced. Several deep-sea sharks previously not recorded in the landings at Cochin were also observed during 2008-09. It includes Hexanchus griseus, Deania profundorum, Zameus squamulosus and Pygmy false catshark (undescribed) which have been reported for the first time from Indian waters. Life history characteristics of the major fished species are discussed in relation to the fishery and its possible impacts on the resource. [Keywords: Deep-sea chondrichthyans, fishery, India, management, sustainability] Introduction are mostly concerned with fishery, few taxonomy In 2007, India was the second largest shark fishing works, distributional records3,4. Studies on fishery are nation preceded only by Indonesia1. In addition to the limited to a few species, groups or area5,6,7. traditional fishermen who operate from catamarans Worldwide, the total known chondrichthyan species is and small motorized canoes using handlines and 11938, while in Indian waters, 84-110 species of occasionally bottomset gillnets and drift gillnets, elasmobranchs have been listed4,9 and is yet one of the nearly 600 mechanized boats (overall length: 12 to 15 least studied region with regard to diversity of the m) actively fish for sharks using long lines, hooks and resources. lines and gillnets along the entire Indian coast2. Chondrichthyans are vulnerable to over- Until the mid 1980’s, elasmobranchs were exploitation. Globally, lack of accurate catch data considered as a high value by-catch in commercial (due to under-reporting, lack of by-catch recording, fishery, but later increasing export demand for fins, poor species identification and species wise catch meat and cartilage to the Southeast Asian countries, data, illegal fishing etc.) makes assessment and demand for dried salted meat and small fresh sharks management of chondrichthyan exploitation difficult, in the local markets of Tamilnadu and Kerala and a which is a major concern. This issue was addressed good demand for high-quality liver oil has led to by Convention on International Trade in Endangered targeted fishing for sharks including whale shark Species (CITES) in 1994 which requested contracting (which was later banned in 2001 under Indian parties to collect biological and trade information on Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972) and for Centrophorus sharks taken in their fisheries. This was reiterated by spp. whose liver containing squalene and other FAO in 1999 by its adoption of International Plan of components are of high pharmaceutical importance Action (IPOA) for Conservation and Management of and yields high value in export market. sharks. At present only a few countries have Despite having a great fishery and landings, studies management and monitoring programmes for chondri- on chondrichthyans from Indian waters are few and chthyans. 348 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 40, NO. 3, JUNE 2011 The present study is focused on the changing about 100-1000 m. Each fishing trips normally species composition in the shark fishery, emerging extends for 12 to 30 days at sea with a minimum targeted fishery for deep-sea sharks and bycatch of vessel speed of 6-8 knots and GPS is used for chondrichthyans in the deep-sea shrimp trawlers in navigation. While the smaller units employ hooks the southwest coast of India and the potential ranging from 1000 to 2500, larger vessels use 2500 to vulnerability of the resources. 4000 hooks and fishes such as scads (Decapterus russelli, Megalaspis cordyla), tuna, sardine and squids Materials and methods are used as baits. For targeted deep-sea shark (gulper During January 2008 to June 2009, weekly surveys shark), fishing hooks no.7 and 8 are used and area of were made on species and size composition in the operation are commonly between 8° 30’ N and 10° chondrichthyan landings at Cochin Fisheries Harbour 30’ N; and 75° 20’ E and 78° 9’ E, at a depth of about (CFH), southwest coast of India (Fig. 1). Landings 300-1000 m, whereas for pelagic sharks and rays, from drift gillnet–hooks & line units (DGN-handline), these boats migrate all along the Indian coasts longliners and the deep-sea trawls were recorded (Fig. 2.1). Most of the shark fishermen who venture separately. Species identification was made into multiday distant water fishing are from 10,11,12 following . Total length (LT) measurements were Thoothoor and nearby areas of Kanyakumari district recorded in cm (centimeter). Observations recorded (Tamilnadu). These fishermen stop gulper shark are discussed in the context of changing species fishing, when the demand and availability of food composition and catch trends as obtained from earlier fishes increases or gulper sharks availability decrease literature. and during rough weather of monsoon (June-August). Besides these boats, deep- sea shrimp trawlers also Results target oceanic tunas and sharks, whenever available using longlines. Fishery The traditional artisanal shark fishery of India has During 2005- 2008, market value for gulper sharks shifted following modernization and mechanization of (Centrophorus spp.) oil shark or mullan as known in fishing craft, and the drift gillnet/long line fishing landing centres (vernacular: having spines) increased fleet comprising 32-45 feet LOA which operated on a steadily, which lead to boom in the deep-sea shark daily basis for sharks during the 1980’s and 1990’s13, fishery at Cochin (Fig. 2.2). However the targeted have been replaced by crafts of 45-65 feet LOA fishery for deep-sea sharks at Cochin ended pre- presently. These larger boats now have a crew of 8-14 maturely by early months of 2009, when the fishermen and conduct multiday targeted shark fishing using refrained from deep-sea fishing as a result of price fall long lines, gillnets and hooks & lines, at a depth of by more than half probably due to the global economic recession resulting in a fall in exports as well as declining catch and catch rates. But occasional landings in trawls and long lines continue. Fig. 1—Map showing study area Fig. 2.1—General shark fisharylandings (Pelagic sharks) AKHILESH et al.: DEEP-SEA FISHING FOR CHONDRICHTHYAN RESOURCES 349 Literature review revealed that during the 1980’s silasi, Okamejei powelli and the Pygmy false cat and early 2000 the entire shark landings in the Cochin shark have not been recorded in the fishery at Cochin Fisheries Harbour occurred as by-catch in single day Fisheries Harbour earlier (Tables 1 and 2). However, drift gillnet/hooks & line fleet operated at about 50 m occurrence of deep-sea sharks like C .moluccensis and depths13,14,15. By late 2000 this fleet expanded E.brucus16,17,18, C.granulosus19 and C. squamosus20 operations to relatively offshore waters (>100m has been reported in the nearby artisanal deep-sea fish depths) and conducted multiday fishing, resulting in landing centres. Species such as H. griseus, D. landings of several large oceanic and deepsea shark profundorum, Z. squamulosus and Pygmy false species6. In the last 2 to 3 years occasional landings catshark recorded during the period were new and minor fishery of deepsea sharks like, distributional records21 and some possible new species Centrophorus spp. and Echinorhinus brucus have were observed in the landings, indicating that more transformed into a regular fishery. The emerging studies with regard to the diversity of the shark fishery for deep-sea sharks is very evident at Cochin resources in the region are required. which represents the entire west coast with effort from over 360 units based at Cochin and the crew The elasmobranch landings at Cochin during the mainly from Thoothoor and nearby villages. The 1980’s comprised mainly of thirteen species of trend of changing species composition in the shark pelagic sharks such as Carcharhinus melanopterus, fishery is probably similar in many other landing C. macloti, C. brevipinna, C. limbatus, centres spread along the entire Indian coastline of Rhizoprionodon acutus, R. oligolinx, S. lewini and about 8129 km. Besides a directed deep-sea shark Scoliodon laticaudus of which except the last four 13 fishery, large quantities of deep-sea chondrichthyans, species the rest formed a regular fishery . with large number of juveniles, are also occurring in Publications from 1980’s reported 12 elasmobranchs14 deep-sea shrimp trawl bycatch. The present day and another study reported 7 species of sharks in the sharks landings along southwest coast are dominated fishery during 1988 15.