Coastal Aquaculture and Mariculture

Unit 5 - Major groups of Fisheries in India

5.1.4. Whitebait
They are the small pelagic fishes. Ten species of white baits occur in our seas -Encrasicholina devisi, E. heterolobus. E. punctifer (Stolephorus buccaneeri), Stolephorus andhraensis, S. baganensis (S. macrops), S. commersonii, S. dubiosus, S. indicus, S. insularis and S. waitei (S. bataviensis). Dominant species available throughout the coast are E. devisi, S. bataviensis. E. punctifel; S. commersonii. S. indicus and S. baganensis. However, E. devisi and S. bataviensis constitute the mainstay of the fishery along both coasts and other species occur seasonally. The availability and abundance of all these species indicate inter-annual variations. They are distributed mostly in areas with bottom depths of 10-50 m and indicate diurnal vertical migration. The seasonal movements of whitebaits are directly related to the transport of water masses.
Distribution
Global
They are distributed in the Indo-Pacific region.
India
They are abundant in southern states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Very little catch is obtained from Maharashtra too.
Production trends
They show wide annual fluctuations. The production varied from 33,680 t in 1980 to 1 lakh t in 1988.
Recent production

(Source: CMFRI, Annual Reports)

State-wise contribution
The landings of white baits from the southern states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka accounted for 75-97% of the total production of whitebait. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh together contributed nearly 97% of the total production of white baits during the last decade. Kerala stood first (54.2%), followed by Tamil Nadu (19;.9%); Andhra Pradesh (12.1%); Karnataka (11.3%); Orissa (1.4%); Goa (0.2%); Maharashtra (0.2%); West Bengal (0.1%) and Gujarat (0.003%) during 1981-2000.
Mode of exploitation
Catamarans, small country crafts, shrimp trawler and plank built boat fitted with outboard motors are the crafts commonly used for catching whit baits. Boat seine (cod end mesh, 10 mm), shore seine (cod end mesh 10-20 mm), gill net (Netholi vala) of 15 mm mesh, shrimp trawls (cod end mesh, 15 mm), purse seine (cod end mesh, 14 - 20 mm) and ring seines are the common gears.
Species composition
In Karnataka, E. devisi (75.6%) dominated the catch during 1995 - 2000. This was followed by S. waitei (11.9%), E. punctifer (10.9%) and S. baganensis (1.3%). Principal gears employed were purse seine (51%) and trawl (47%). In Kerala too, E. devisi dominated the catch (48%), followed by S. waitei (30%), S. commersonii (16%), S. baganensis (3%), E. punctifer (2%) and S. andhraensis (1%). The gearwise catch was ring seine (53%), trawl (32%) and others (15%). However, along south east region i.e, in Tamil Nadu, S. indicus (96%) and S. commersoni (4%), but in northern areas E. devisi (60%), S. waitei (20%), S. commersoni (15%) and S. indicus (5%) supported the fishery. Principal gears used were trawl (36%), non-mechanised gill net (34%), shore seine (17%) and others the rest. A long the northeast coast, the main contribution was from Andhra Pradesh.
Food and feeding
Food of E. devisi, S. waitei, S. baganensis and E. punctifer mainly comprises of copepods, Acetes spp. mysids and other zooplankters.
Spawning season
S. waitei spawns intermittently throughout the year; E. devisi spawns almost throughout the year.
Fecundity
Fecundity is around 1700-6790 eggs for E. devisi of 60-95 mm and 300- 4800 eggs for S. waitei of 80 -120 mm during the course of multiple spawning.
Utilization
They are consumed fresh and in dried form. Large species like S. commersonii and S. indicus possess good demand; but they are seasonal in occurrence and not landed in good quantity.
Conservation and management
In the east coast, S. commersonii is under high fishing pressure while exploitation of E. devisi is at optimum level and S. indicus and S. waitei are underfished. In the west coast, in Karnataka, E. devisi is under high fishing pressure, but S. waitei is underfished. In Kerala, E. devisi and S. commersonii are exploited at optimum level and S. waitei is underexploited. As the potential yield of white bait is 2, 40,000 t, good scope is available to increase the present yield. Whitebaits are annually renewable resources and hence their periodic harvest during seasons of abundance is important to make full use of the fishery. Increasing the fishing pressure during the peak seasons of availability may be a practical option to enhance the whitebait production in the country. Since the whitebaits being a non-target species in most of the gears in which it is caught (except the Choodavala operated by ring seine units), the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and the effort required to obtain the MSY could be decided only in consideration with stock position of other resources caught in the gears.