Largest goatfish, Upeneus moluccensis (Bleeker, 1855)caught off Visakhapatnam

Goatfish constitute an important demersal fishery resource landed at Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour. They formed 14.4% of the trawl landings of the harbour and comprised of Upeneus vittatus (57.0%), Upeneus sulphureus (24.6%), Upeneus moluccensis (18%) and Upeneus tragula (0.4%). Parupeneus heptacanthus and Parupeneus indicus occur rarely in the fishery. During 2005 - 2009, the annual goatfish catch of Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour was in the range of 2177 - 3463 t with an average catch of 2859 t. The annual average landings of U. moluccensis during 2005 -'09 was 515 t forming 18% of the total goatfish catch at the fishing harbour. They are mainly exploited by bottom trawlers along with marginal exploitation by both drift and bottom set gillnets.