Estimates of length-based population parameters of the skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Andaman waters

H.D. Pradeep; Swapnil Shivdas  Shirke; Annada Bhusan Kar

doi:10.17017/j.fish.42

H.D. Pradeep Fishery Survey of India, Port Blair Zonal Base, Port Blair 744101, India http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9890-1496
Swapnil Shivdas Shirke Fishery Survey of India, Port Blair Zonal Base, Port Blair 744101, India
Annada Bhusan Kar Fishery Survey of India, Vishakhapatnam Zonal Base, Vishakhapatnam, India

Keywords: Skipjack tuna, age and growth, spawning, recruitment, mortality

Abstract

The exploitation of Katsuwonus pelamis in Andaman waters is meagre compared to its total landings in India. As the population parameters of this species has not been attempted in these waters, an attempt has been made here to estimate the population parameters of K. pelamis based on the length frequency data collected from local fishing boats operating from Junglighat Fishing Harbour, Port Blair, Andaman Islands from January to December 2014. A total of 704 specimens ranging from 16.5 to 71.0 cm fork length were taken for analysis. The parameters L_∞, K and t₀ were 74.55 cm, 0.59/year and –0.21 respectively. The von Bertalanffy growth equation for K. pelamis is L_t = 74.6[1 – e^{–0.59(t+0.214255)}]. The recruitment pattern was unimodal. The recruitment period was from July – October. The longevity of the species was calculated as 4.9 years. After 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th year the length attained by the species is 38.1, 54.4, 63.4 and 68.3 cm respectively. The mortality parameters were Z=2.07, M=0.93, F=1.14 and exploitation ratio was 0.55. The virtual population analysis for K. pelamis indicated that fishing mortality starts at 41–50 cm class interval and it continues henceforth and was maximum at 61–70 cm and decreased thereafter.

References

Anon (2011) Report of the Working Group for Revalidating the Potential of Fishery Resources in the Indian EEZ. Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare, New Delhi. pp. 1–79.

Anon (2014a) Handbook of Fisheries Statistics, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare, New Delhi. pp. 5–16.

Anon (2014b) Fisheries in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Directorate of Fisheries, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Port Blair. p. 12.

Appukuttan KK, Radhakrishnan Nair PN and Kunhikoya KK (1997) Studies on the fishery and growth rate of oceanic skipjack, Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus), at Minicoy Island from 1966 to 1969. Indian Journal of Fisheries 24 (1&2): 31–47.

Bensam P (1999) Development of marine fisheries science in India. Daya Publishing House, Delhi. 379 pp.

Bertalanffy L. Von (1938) A quantitative theory of organic growth (Inquiries on growth Laws II). Human Biology 10(2): 181–213.

Chen Y and Paloheimo JE (1994) Estimating fish length and age at 50% maturity using a logistic type model. Aquatic Science 56: 206–219. doi: 1007/BF00879965.

Ganga U and Pillai NGK (2006) Tuna resources of India -their potential and exploitation, In: Kurup BM and Ravindran K. (ed.), Proceedings of the International symposium on “Improved sustainability of fish production systems and appropriate technologies for utilization” 16–18 March’2006, pp. 411–420.

Gopalakrishna Pillai N and Palaniswamy S (2012) Biology, Fishery, Conservation and Management of Indian Ocean Tuna Fisheries. Ocean Science Journal 47(4): 411–433. doi: 10/1007/s12601-012-0038-y.

James PSBR, Pillai PP, Jayaprakash AA, Yohannan TM, Siraimeetan P, Muthiah C, Gopakumar G, Pillai NGK, Reuben S, Thiagarajan R, Said Koya KP, Kulkarni GM, Somaraju MV, Kurup KN and Sathianandan TV (1992) Stock assessment of tunas from the Indian seas. Indian Journal of Fisheries 39 (3&4): 260–277.

James PSBR and Pillai PP (1993) Review of national tuna fishery in India. IPTP Collective volume of working documents 8: TWS/93/1/2/2-5.

Jones R (1984) Assessing the effects of changes in exploitation pattern using length composition data (with notes on VPA [Virtual Population Analysis] and cohort analysis).

Madan M, Livingston P and Kunhikoya KK (1985) Fishery and bionomics of tunas, Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) and Thunnus albacares (Bonnatere) from Minicoy waters. Tuna fisheries of EEZ of India: Biology and Stock Assessment. Bulletin of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute 36: 143–148.

Madan Mohan and Kunhikoya KK (1985) Age and Growth of Katsuwonus pelamis in Minicoy Islands. Bulletin of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute 36: 122–237.

Marcille J and Stéquert B (1976) Etude préliminaire de la croissance du listao (Katsuwonuspelamis) danslouest de l’océanIndien tropical. Cah ORSTOM Sér Océanogr. 14: 139–151.

Pandian PP, Kar AB, Sinha MK and Pattnayak SK (2007) Observation on the distribution and abundance of tuna resources in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Zoological Survey of India, National Symposium on conservation and valuation of Marine Biodiversity. pp. 287–299.

Pauly D (1979) Theory and management of tropical multispecies stocks: a review with emphasis on the Southeast Asian demersal fisheries. ICLARM Studies and Reviews 1. 35 pp.

Pauly D (1980) On the interrelationships between natural mortality, growth parameters and mean environmental temperature in 175 fish stocks. Journal Du Consiel International Pour L'exploration de la Mer 39(2): 175–192. doi: 10.1093/icesjms/39.2.175.

Pauly D (1983a) Some simple methods for the assessment of tropical fish stocks. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 243. 52 pp.

Pauly D (1983b) Length converted catch curves. A powerful tool for fisheries research in tropics (Part-1), ICLARM Fishbyte 1: 9–13.

Powell DG (1979) Estimation of mortality and growth parameters from the length frequency in the catch. Rapp. P, - V. Reun. CIEM 175: 167–169.

Pradeep HD, Swapnil SS, Dwivedi SK, Ramachandran S and Premchand (2014) Distribution, abundance and biology of Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788) in the Andaman and Nicobar waters, Journal of the Andaman Science Association 19(2): 191–200.

Ramalingam L, Kar AB, Govindaraj K and Prasad GVA (2012) Study of the growth and population parameters of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the Andaman and Nicobar waters based on the length frequency data. Report of the 14th IOTC proceedings. 24–29 October 2012, Mauritius. 17 pp.

Said Koya KP, Joshi KK, Abdussamad EM, Prathibha Rohit, Sivadas M, Somy Kuriakose, Shubhadeep Ghosh, Mohammed Koya, Dhokia HK, Prakasan D, Kunhi Koya VA and Manju Sebastine (2012) Fishery, biology and stock structure of skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758) exploited from Indian waters. Indian Journal of Fisheries 59(2): 39–47.

Shabotiniets E (1968) Opredelenie vozrasta tuntsov Indiiskogo okeana (Age determination of Indian Ocean tunas). (In Russ., Tr. VNIRO 64, Tr. Azeher NIRO 28 : 374-376. (Engl, transl) by W. L.Klawe. Inter-Am. Tropical Tuna Commission, La Jo Ua. California. p. 5.

Sivadas M, Said Koya KP and Pillai NGK (2005) Stock Assessment of Skipjack Tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis from Minicoy, Lakshadweep. Proceedings of Tuna Meet-2003, Fishery Survey of India. pp. 168–180.

Sivasubramaniam K (1985) The tuna fishery in the EEZs of India, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Bay of Bengal Programme/Working Party /31. pp. 19–47.

Somvanshi VS and John ME (2004) Some observations on the highly migratory species and straddling stocks occurring in Indian waters and their fisheries in Indian ocean. In: Somvanshi VS (ed.), Large Marine Ecosystem: Exploration and Exploitation for Sustainable Development and Conservation of Fish Stocks. Fishery Survey of India. pp. 421–432.

Wetherall JA (1986) A new method for estimating growth and mortality parameters from length-frequency data. ICLARM, Fishbyte 4(1): 12–14.

Yohannan TM, Pillai PP and Said Koya KP (1993) Fishery, biology and stock assessment of skipjack tuna in Indian Seas. In: Sudarsan, D. and John, M. E. (Ed.), Tuna Research in India, Fishery Survey of India, Bombay. pp. 77–96.