Monsoon prawn fishery by indigenous gears along the Mangalore coast

An appraisal of the prawn fishery by indigenous gears in the monsoon season during 1979-'85 along the Mangalore coast is attempted in the present article. After southwest monsoon the gears operated for prawns include cast nets, kanthabale, pattabale, kairampani, matabale etc,. During the course of the present study, observations were made at Ullal, Bengre, Baikampady, Kulai, Polippu and Hejamadi where fishery was reported. Regular catch statistics were collected from Ullal and Baikampady only. The fishery was mostly supported by large sized prawns of M. dobsoni and P. indicus. The introduction of matabala in 1984 and the subsequent addition during the following seasons, have boosted the prawn landings to a large extent, along this coast.