Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences Vol. 42(5), September 2013, pp. 617-621 Assessment of economic impact of juvenile fishing of sciaenids along Mumbai Coast, India 1 Gaihiamngam Kamei, S. K. Chakraborty, G. Deshmukhe, A. K. Jaiswar, Hanjbam Mandakini Devi, Suman Kumari & G. B. Sreekanth Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Yari Road, Versova, 7-Bungalows, Andheri West, Mumbai 400 061, Maharashtra, India 1 [E-mail – gkcife@gmail.com] Received 11 May 2012; revised 4 August 2012 Present study is about the economic loss to fishery sector of sciaenids fishery resource due to juvenile fishing. Sciaenids fishery include two species of bigger sciaenids O. biauratus (Cantor) and P.diacanthus (Lacepede )and four species of lesser sciaenids J.macrorhynus (Mohan), J. vogleri (Bleeker), J. sina (Cuvier) and O. cuvieiri (Trewavas). Study was done for Mumbai coast using bio-economic model, based on data from three important landing centers (New Ferry Wharf, Sassoon Docks and Versova) of Mumbai. Total estimated economic loss was at about INR.128 crores for 2010-2011 being highest from New Ferry Wharf (Rs. 68 crores) and lowest from Sassoon Docks (Rs.25 crores). The major economic deficit is in the month of November. Study provides an insight about the loss due to juvenile fishing in a shrimp oriented fishery where juveniles of other fishes form a major portion of the by-catch. This would reduce future yield to the fishery besides economic loss. [Keywords: By-catch; Economic loss; Juvenile; Sciaenids] Introduction India, with a coastline of 8129 km and an extensive EEZ of 2.02 millions Km 2 , has an estimated marine fishery potential of 3.9 million tonnes per annum 1 . The marine fishery of the country has been providing an important source of occupation and livelihood for the Indian coastal communities. Over a span of last 50 years, marine fish catches increased considerably from 0.6 to 3.16 million tonnes, contributing 4.6% to the agricultural Gross Domestic Production (GDP) of the country 2 . In India the Sciaenids catch along North West coast is very high. Sciaenid also known as croakers, drummers and jew fish is an important demersal fishes occurring from the edge of the continental shelf to shallow coastal waters from the depth of 50-70 m, occupying second major important demersal fish contributing 5.4% of the total marine fish production of India during 2010-2011. The landing of Sciaenids in Maharashtra is 8.45% to the total marine fish catch of the state with an estimated value of 2215 crores 3 . There is a challenge on sustainability of fishing resources due to increased juvenile fishing. Growth overfishing occurs when the fishery targets fishes of a size below the optimal harvestable size. When the fishes are removed before the cohort has had the opportunity to achieve its maximum biomass level, the fishery will lose much of the potential yield that could be achieved by catching them in the near future 4 . The juveniles are the future adult stock which play vital role for availability and maintenance of every future fish stock. Large-scale removal and destruction of young and juveniles of fishes and crustaceans are especially detrimental to the fishery because when juvenile mortality is increased the future catches and subsequent recruitment will be affected 5 . Juveniles contribute more to the Sciaenids fishery forming 1.8% of the group catch in 2000 6 . Sciaenids selected for the present study include the commercially important six species, namely, bigger Sciaenids such as Protonibea diacanthus (Lacepede) and Otolithoides biauritus (Cantor) and lesser Sciaenids such as Otolithes cuvieri (Trewavas), Johnieops vogleri (Bleeker), Johnius macrorhynus (Mohan) and Johnieops sina (Cuvier). Bulks of the marine landing in India consist of juvenile fish 7 . Despite Sciaenids being an important demersal fishery there is scare information on the economic impact of Sciaenids by-catch in the form of juveniles and discards from Indian waters. There in perhaps more amount of time for the collection of elaborate data would give better understanding of the —————— 1 For Correspondence