Inland Fisheries

5.2.7 Cauvery Estuary

The estuary is formed by the river Cauvery which meets the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu. The river Cauvery in its deltaic region lying in Tamilnadu divides into a northern branch, the Coleroon and a southern branch, the Cauvery proper. Little is known about the fishing potential of the Cauvery estuary. The following fauna have been recorded from Cauvery estuary (ZSI, 2011)

· 117 species of fishes which belongs to 87 genera and 52 families

· 21 species of crabs which belongs to 13 genera and 8 families

· 19 species of prawns which belongs to 9 genera and 4 families

· 31 species of molluscs which belongs to 22 genera and 16 families

Common species in this estuary include mullets, clupeids, perches, Lates, Polynemus, eels, prawns, crabs and others.