Sardines used to form the major catch for traditional fishermen who ventured out to sea during the trawl ban in Kerala’s coastal waters. But the availability of sardines has declined to alarming levels, affecting the livelihood of hundreds of fishermen. Sardines have been caught from coastal waters mainly using seines for about 200 years. Sardines in the 10-14 cm size group, less than one year old, form a major component of sardine population. During the period from October 2012 to February 2013, about 1,17,823 tonnes of this category was harvested, adversely affecting the spawning biomass in the following years, according to the report. “Changes in ecosystems have affected the spawning of various kinds of fish,” says T.D. Jojo, a researcher working for the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), a non-government body which conducts annual survey on fish species in Vembanad. A recent study conducted by the organisation also indicated a decline in the number of fish species existing in the ecosystem.
Source: The Hindu, June 24, 2016
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/concern-over-dwindling-sar…
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