Further observations on the spatial distributionand population characteristics of 'karikkadi'prawn (Parapenaeopsis stylifera) alongthe kerala coast during monsoon season

Additional information regarding the offshore migration of 'karikkadi' (Parapenaeopsis stylifera) during the southwest monsoon period along Kerala coast and its relevance to the management of the local shrimp fishery is reported based on the results of special shrimp surveys conducted during JulyAugust, 1990. In a total of 42 bottom trawling operations conducted between 30 and 90 m depth,'karikkadi' was recorded upto 80 m depth thereby extending the known 'bathymetric' limit of its migration further deep in the study area. The maximum catch was recorded off Cochin at 47 m depth which was far beyond the limit of territorial waters. Biological characteristics such as size frequency distribution, sex ratios, mean size variations and abundance of spawning population are indicated and discussed. The kiddi shrimp Parapenaeopsis and Menon (1953), George and Rao stylifera has emerged as an important (1967), George et al. (1963, 1968), Rao coastal resource of India which is ex- (1968, 1970, 1972) and Kurup and Rao ploited mainly by shrimp trawlers. It is (1974) from Kerala coast. Unlike most purely a littoral species attaining a of the other commercial species, P. maximum size of about 145 mm in total stylifera completes its entire life cycle in length (Holthuis, 1980). Indo-west the marine environment. Pacific in distribution, this species sup­ ports a major fishery in Pakistan and In Kerala, P. stylifera, commonly India. Being an important commercial known as 'karikkadi' in Malayalam, species, fairly good amount of work has plays an important role in the coastal been done on its biology and life history fishery particularly during the monsoon from Indian waters, the notable contri- period. Till the commencement of butions being those of Shaikhmahmud monsoon trawling along this coast about and Tembe (1958, 1960, 1961) and two decades ago, the individual contriKagwade (1980) from Bombay, bution of this species to the prawn Ramamurthy (1980) from Mangalore landing of the state was of a low-order.