Coastal Aquaculture and Mariculture

Unit 5 - Major groups of Fisheries in India

5.1.3. Anchovy
Anchovies belong to the family, Engraulidae. They are the small pelagic fishes and constitute one of the most important pelagic resources in the world. In India, anchovies form the artisanal fisheries and a major source of income for the traditional fishers.
Distribution
Global
Anchovies are distributed in the South Pacific Ocean, Northwest Pacific ocean, Mediterranean and Black sea, Western Central Pacific-Indian Ocean.
India
It is widely distributed along both east coast and west coasts of India.
Production trend
Anchovy resource contributed an average catch of about 133,000 t during 1991-2000. The species, which constitute the important fisheries, are Coilia dussumieri, Stolephorus spp, Thryssa spp., Thryssinna spp. and Setipinna spp. On the west coast of India, Kerala (Avg.: 20000 t; -1998-200 I) is the leading state, followed by Gujarat (Avg: 24000 t; 1998-2001), Maharashtra (17,338 t; 1998 -200 I) and Karnataka (8,340 t; 1998-2001). On the east coast, Tamil Nadu is the leading state with an average of 20,596 t (1997-1999) followed by Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal. The anchovy production is the least in Orissa (Avg.: 3000 t 1999-2001).
Recent production

(Source: CMFRI, Annual Reports)

Species-wise catch
In Gujarat, C. dussumieri and Thryssa spp. constitute the fishery forming on an average 68% and 33% respectively. In Maharashtra, C. dussumieri contributes on an average of 79.4%, Thryssa spp. 19.6% Stolephorus spp. 1%. In Karnataka, Stolephorus spp. formed 64% and Thryssa spp. contributed 36% to the fishery. The fishery in Kerala too is supported mainly by Stolephorus spp., (83%) and Thryssa spp. (17%). On the southeast coast Stolephorus spp. (60%), Thryssa spp. (35%) and C. dussumieri (4%) constituted the fishery in Tamil Nadu, whereas in Andhra Pradesh Stolephorus spp. (56%), Thryssa spp. (41%) and C. dussumieri (3%) form the fishery. On the northeast coast Stolephorus spp., Setipinna spp., Thryssa spp and Coilia spp. contributed 35, 34, 21 and 10% respectively in Orissa. In West Bengal Coilia spp. (51 %), Setipinna spp. (29%), Thryssa spp. (18%) and Stolephorus spp. (2%) constitute the anchovy fishery. More number of species of Coilia constituted the fishery in West Bengal and the notable among them are C. ramacarti, C. neglecta and C. reynaldi.
Mode of exploitation
Plank built Satpati boat (Maharashtra & Gujarat); Catamarans, small country crafts with or without outboard engines (Andhra Pradesh , Tamil Nadu, Kerala), plank built boat with outboard engines (Kerala and Karanataka) are the crafts commonly employed for exploitation of anchovies. Dol net with mesh size, 5 -25 mm (Maharashtra, Gujarat); Bag net (Orissa and West Bengal), Boat seine, Shore seine and Gillnet (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala), Purse seine (Maharashtra, Goa, Kamataka, Kerala) and the Ring seine (Kerala, Karnataka) are the common gears used for the capture of anchovies.
Characteristics of some of the important species of Anchovies
Peruvian anchovy, Engraulis ringens
It is a filter feeder entirely dependent on the phyto and zooplankton. Diatoms alone constitute as much as 98%.
Japanese anchovy, Engraulis japonicus
It feeds on phytoplankton, viz. diatoms and dinoflagellates and zooplankton viz. copepods, ostracods, cladocerans, amphipods and euphausiids. The crustacean plankton accounts for about 60%.
Golden anchovy, Coilia dussumeiri
It is a pelagic and largely marine, but enters estuaries and rivers also. It feeds on copepods, ostracods, amphipods, fish and prawn larvae but prefers to feed on ostracods and Acetes spp. Spawning season is from January to May. The individual spawns only once in a year. It grows to 22 cm and has short life span of less than two years. Earlier, it was exploited mainly as bycatch in dol net. This species is consumed fresh and sun dried. Dry fish is bartered for rice in equal weight in Gujarat.
Devis' anchovy, Encrasicholina devisi
The species is widely distributed in Indo-Pacific tropical water 30˚ N - 24°S. It is the most abundant species among engraulids in India, and constitutes a fishery in Andhra pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The food of E. devisi comprised of copepods and other zooplankton. E. devisi breed throughout the year with peak during October -November. The species grows at a faster rate and attains the first year growth of about 110 mm. It is an important link in the food chain. It is consumed both fresh as well as sundried. Value added products like anchovy powder, sauce, etc. are prepared. It is also used as bait for hook and line fishery.
Stolephorus waitei
It constitutes a minor fishery in Andra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
Conservation and management
The overall Maximum Sustainable Yield of all the commercially important species of genera Coilia, Encrasicholina and Stolephorus constituting fisheries in India, other than Orissa and West Bengal is estimated at 2,30,000 t whereas the present yield is about 1, 22, 000 t. During the last decade, the resources became vulnerable to the trawlers also. The impact of changing fishing pattern is the cause of concern in some states. However, they are annually renewable resources and hence their periodical removal is desirable to make full use of the fishery. There is scope to expand the fishing effort for targeting anchovies.