Impact assessment of bottom trawling on the Marine biodiversity along Kerala- Winter School on Towards Ecosystem Based Management of Marine Fisheries – Building Mass Balance Trophic and Simulation Models

摘要

The introduction of mechanised trawlers to exploit the demersal resources beyondudthe traditional fishing grounds of Kerala in the early fifties was an important event in theudmarine fisheries of Kerala and due to its high returns it became widespread all along theudtrawlable coastal grounds. As it is found as the most efficient method for the exploitation ofudshrimps and therefore, its number has shown an exponential increase along the coastaludwaters of Kerala. Among the mechanised boats operating along Kerala coast more thanud90% belong to bottom trawl specifically aimed for the exploitation of shrimp resources ofudthe inshore waters (Ravindran and Baiju, 1998). Kurup and Radhika (2003) enumerated theudnumber of bottom trawlers operated from 11 major and minor fisheries harbours of Keralaudas 4960.Bottom trawling being a non selective fishing gear, it hauls up all the organismsuddwelling at the sea bottom and therefore, its destructive effect to the non target organismsudof the sea bottom is a matter of grave concern on a global basis (Jennings and Kaiser,ud1998).