Fishery-dependent livelihoods, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity: the case of marine and coastal protected areas in India

The lacunae in fishing-community engagement in the management and governance of marine and coastal protected areas (MCPAs) were discussed in the 2009 Chennai Workshop organized by the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF). To continue the discussion, a second, two-day workshop to review existing legal and institutional mechanisms for implemention and monitoring of MCPAs, titled ‘Fishery-dependent Livelihoods, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity: The Case of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas in India’, was held in New Delhi during 1-2 March 2012. The objective was to understand the impact of MCPAs on fishing communities, from an environmental-justice and human-rights perspective, and make specific proposals for better conservation while securing the livelihoods of small-scale fishers. The workshop also served to underscore these issues in light of the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to be held at Hyderabad in October 2012. This publication contains the prospectus of the workshop and a report of the proceedings. It will be useful for fishworkers, non-governmental organizations, policymakers, trade unions, researchers and others interested in natural resource management and coastal and fishing communities.

Genetic improvement of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) in India. Phase two: annual report for period January to December 2012

Macrobrachiurn rosenbergii is one of the widely cultured freshwater prawn species globally. India was the third largest producer of this species in 2007 and its aquaculture production rose to 43,000 metric tons (t) in 2005 froin less than 500 t in 1995. However, since then production has been declining and in 2008-09 it was 12,856 t, a reduction of more than 70% compared to 2005. There are several contributing factors to this decline, such as slow growth rate, poor survival, disease outbreaks, increase in cost of production, and availability of low risk alternative fish species. However, there is a consensus that poor seed quality leading to unsatisfactory growth and survival rates in ponds is one of the major reasons. Hence, the development of a systematic selective breeding program aimed at improving growth rate and ensuring high survival rate of this species was deemed a high priority. The Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Bhubaneswar, India in collaboration with the WorldFish Center, Malaysia initiated a selective breeding program for this species in 2007.

Strategy of fish seed production in India

In tropical countries like India, climatic conditions vary in different parts, as a result the breeding of fast growing species such as Catla and silver carps poses considerable problems due to erratic or late monsoon or prolonged dry spell. Hence it is not possible to meet the fish seed requirement of the country. Therefore: to meet the future requirement and to over-come the environmental conditions a Modern carp Hatchery CIFE D-81 was designed. The system provides optimum temperature, silt free clean, cool, highly oxygenated water, low current and continuous removal of metabolites. It has been successfully demonstrated at Rawatbhata (Rajasthan), Badkhal (Haryana), Badbhada (M.P), Guntur and East Godavari District (A.P). Recently a Modern Carp Hatchery was installed in a semi-arid zone, Damdama (Haryana), during 1984, where it has produced record 1.88 crores of fish seed and worked successfully.

Zooplankton biomass along the west coast of India and its effect on the fishery

The coastal zone along the west coast of India is very productive with a mean secondary production rate of 5.89 mg C/m super(3)/day. Statewise, maximum zooplankton standing stock was observed off Maharashtra. The existing yield of fishery from the surveyed region has been compared with the estimated sustainable fishery potential.

A comparative note on the modus operandii of reservoir development in Republic of China and India

Principles adopted by China for the development of reservoir fisheries are discussed. Production of some of reservoirs of China with that of India is compared. The reasons for obtaining higher production in China have been recognised as: emphasis on utilization of all resources for food production; direct feeding; use of selected varieties of fast growing carps; keeping 15 pigs per hectare of water area for application of pig void and application of manure; production of fingerlings at the reservoir sites enclaving coves and bays; grading and removing obstructions from bottom; rational harvesting and stocking and improvement of reservoir shore areas as a whole. Some of these measures which could be implemented in Indian conditions are briefly described.

Morphometric study of Megalaspis cordyla (Linnaeus, 1758) along the northwest coast of India

Megalaspis cordyla obtained from the landings in and around Bombay, Maharashtra, India, were analysed for the study of their morphometric and meristic characteristics. The various morphometric and meristic characteristics did not indicate any variation within the population. The data provided are intended to facilitate comparison with similar data for other locations, and thereby, to establish the homogeneity or heterogeneity of the populations in the distributional range of this species.

The age and growth of catfish Rita rita (Ham.) from the River Yamuna in north India

The age of 224 fishes was determined by counting the translucent zone on the opercular bones and otoliths. Back calculated annual growth of the fish revealed that the absolute growth of the female was better than that of the male upto the third year. From the fourth year onwards the growth of the male exceeded the growth of the female.

Environmental inventory and the distribution of inorganic nutrients in a tropical estuary of the south-west coast of India

Dissolved nutrients (PO sub(4)-P, NO sub(3)-N, NO sub(2)-N and SiO sub(4)-Si) estimated in the surface and bottom waters of five selected stations of the Paravur Lake, Kerala, India, during February 1987 to January 1988 revealed distinct seasonal variations. Rainfall and land drainage play significant roles in the nutrient economy, particularly NO sub(3)-N and SiO sub(4)-Si, of this water body. Abnormally high values of PO sub(4)-P indicated extremely polluted condition at the wetting zone of the lake during the premonsoon season. SiO sub(4)-Si showed significant negative relationship with salinity.