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Mesoscale eddies enhance the productivity in a stratified coastal environment by upwelling. The seas around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been found to have frequent mesoscale eddy activity. Commercial fishing grounds coincide with upwelling areas associated with cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies and also with areas between two adjacent eddies. There are different eddy zones supporting different types of fishing gears and fish. The current study aims at identifying the different zones of mesoscale eddies in the Andaman Sea and compares the productivity and fishing activity in each of them. Data collected from 454 commercial fishing trips in the Andaman Sea along with maps of sea level anomaly and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) global level 3 mapped thermal infrared (IR) daytime sea surface temperature (SST) from the Aqua and Terra satellites were used for the study. Known upwelling areas such as the periphery of anticyclonic and the core of cyclonic eddies showed higher catches in longlines, ring seines among the fishing gears, and among all the fish species groups. Downwelling areas such as the periphery of cyclonic and the core of anticyclonic eddies showed lower catches with ring seines and the fish species groups. Areas in between adjacent eddies were explored in this study and the fish captures in such areas were found to be different with types of fishing and the target fish group. The study shows results that link eddy activity with the performance of a fishery. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The landing of Indian oil sardines, Sardinella longiceps Valenciennes, 1847, along the southwest coast of India is highly variable. A few physical parameters and processes correlated with sardine landing could not establish a flawless connection and explain the phenomena of interannual variability. Earlier research has indicated that the probable appearance and disappearance of sardines is an active movement in search of food and favourable conditions. But no specific study has been carried out to explain the variability of sardine catch based on chlorophyll availability on a synoptic scale. An attempt is made in this study to correlate variability in chlorophyll a with sardine landings along the waters of the southwest coast of India. We have estimated monthly averaged surface phytoplankton biomass along the waters of the southwest coast of India from the shoreline up to the 200-m isobath for 10 years from SeaWiFS ocean-colour data. This estimation is compared with the biological calendar of Indian oil sardines. The average chlorophyll a for the bloom initiation month (1998-2006) matches very well with oil sardine landings. The results imply that the concentration of chlorophyll during the bloom initiation month can be used to assess the quantity of fish that recruit into the population. Finer scale spatial variations in the chlorophyll along the coastal waters help in deciphering the migratory pattern of sardines during their active breeding phase. This study shows that 39% of interannual variability in fish landings is related to availability of chlorophyll a during the bloom initiation month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study combines observational data with a two-dimensional numerical model results to determine the fate of fish eggs released in the Gulf of Kachchh (GoK), a semi enclosed basin on the west coast of India. Fish eggs were treated as passive particles in the model, and were released from probable spawning sites identified from the field surveys. Areas with retention of larvae above 30% have been demarcated as nursery areas. Most of these nursery areas fall in ecologically significant sites which are rich in mangroves and reefs. We find that about 80% of the particles are retained in the basin for all the three prominent seasons prevailing in the GoK. Complete retention of particles in the southern Gulf region and small quantity of flushing out in the northern boundary of the Gulf could be a major reason for sustaining an abundance of larvae in the southern Gulf. Trawler catch data at various sampling points also suggest abundance of fish in the southern GoK region. Model simulation of fish larval transport in the GoK reiterates the fact that fish larval aggregation occurs in the southern GoK during active breeding phase with varying dispersal patterns from spawning sites. Marine protected areas in the Gulf demarcated based on the ecological significance of sites reasonably corroborate with the areas of likelihood of retention of fish larvae differentiated by the model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The blue economy, encompassing sustainable utilization of coastal and oceanic resources, has gained global significance in the context of the developing discourse on economic growth and environmental conservation in ocean-based economies. This article delves into the multifaceted realm of India's fisheries and coastal aquaculture sectors, exploring their status, challenges and prospects through the lens of the 'blue growth' narrative. Various enabling factors, such as technological advancements, governance improvements, market and policy incentives, and investment strategies are discussed that can catalyse a smooth transition of India's marine capture fisheries and aquaculture to align with the blue developmental agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]