Fishery and bionomics of tunas at Minicoy Island

The Union Territory of Lakshadweep is represented \nby twenty islands out of which only ten are inhabited. \nOceanic species of tunas such as skipjack (Katsuwonus \npelamis) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) are \navailable in Lakshadweep area from October to May \nevery year. They are being exploited from Minicoy \nwaters by pole-and-line tuna fishing using live bait. \nSince 1960, pole-and-line fishing has been adopted \nin the other islands of Amini group with the introduction \nof mechanised boats. The seventies has \nseen an almost complete transition of replacement of \nthe ' Odum' (traditional tuna fishing boats) with \nmechanised boats fitted with bait tanks at Minicoy \nIslands. Thus tuna fishing became popular in the \nUnion Territory which is now fetching a good amount \nto the islanders and helping in the improvement of the \neconomy of these islands.