This document entitled “Guidance on National Plan of Action for Sharks in India” is
intended as a guidance to the NPOA-Sharks, and seeks to (1) present an overview of
the current status of India’s shark fishery, (2) assess the current management measures
and their effectiveness, (3) identify the knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in
NPOA-Sharks and (4) suggest a theme-based action plan for NPOA-Sharks.

CMFRI Marine Fisheries Policy Series -2; Guidance on National Plan of Action for Sharks in India

Sawfish : a global strategy for conservation

The annual production of elasmobranchs in India during 1982-83 to 1984-85 period was around 59,000 t, of which sharks accounted for 37500 t (64%). Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Kerala together take the bulk
of the catch. Of the 65 species reported from Indian waters, over 20 species (families Carcharhinidae and Sphymidae) contribute to the fishery. Feeding and breeding habits, intra-uterine embryos and growth characteristics of a few species are described here.

/pdf/shark-resources-of-india-with-notes-on-biology-of-a-few-4i9cn0adl9.pdf

Shark resources of India, with notes on biology of a few species

Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry contiguous to it, since share a commonness
both in fishing tradition and in fishery resources, are treated together in this
report, though Tamil Nadu by itself is easily comparable with any other maritime
state in the vastness of inshore resource as well as in the involvement of fishing
activities. The states are endowed with rich resource potential capable of being
developed. The combined coastline is about a thousand kilometers studded with
many a fishlanding centres of intense activities. Tamil Nadu, descending to the
tip of the peninsular India, has the unique advantage of facing three major seas,
the Arabian sea, Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, and having the benefit at
its disposal of both the monsoons, the South West and the North East.

Appraisal of the Marine Fisheries of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry

Une stratégie globale pour la conservation des poissons-scies

The sharks, rays and skates form one of the important commercial fisheries of India, the average annual
landings for 10 years (1958-67) being 33,442 m. tons. Of this, 15,537 m. tons are landed along the east coast
and 17,605 m.tons along the west coast and the rest at Andaman and Nicobar and Laccadive groups of islands.
Reports indicate that the Indian Ocean offers valuable fishing grounds for these fishes, especially for the larger
varieties which can substantially augment the supplies of food, liver-oils, fins and shagreen.
Along the east coast, good fishery for elasmobranchs exists along the coasts of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh,
Madras State and in Andaman Islands. These fishes are caught almost round the year, the sharks on hook
and line and in drift gill nets at depths varying from 16 to 100 metres and majority of rays and skates in trawl
nets, drift and bottom set gill nets and shore seines at depths ranging from 4 to 100 metres.
The common species of sharks include the blacktip-finned sharks of the genus Carcharhinus, species of
Scoliodon, the hammer-head sharks, Sphyrna spp., the tiger-shark, Galeocerdo cuvieri and the zebra shark,
Stegostoma fasciatum. The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is occasionally landed. Rays of commercial
importance are the cownose ray, Rhinoptera javanica shoals of which make frequent incursions into coastal
waters of Gulf of Mannar, the butterfly ray, Gymmura poecilura, Himantura spp., Amphotistius zugei, Pastinachus
sephen and the devil ray, Mobula diabolus. The common skates include Rhynchobatus djiddensis and
Rhinobatus granulatiis and the saw-fishes of the genus Pristis.
From the present trend, it would appear that the catches of elasmobranchs off the east coast could be
substantially increased by extending fishing operations to deeper waters especially in the Gulf of Mannar
and by the use of stronger nets from mechanised vessels. Fruitful results may also be expected along the east
coast, including Andaman Islands by exploratory surveys to chart potentially rich grounds for these fishes.

P S B R James

Papers

Sharks, rays and skates as a potential fishery resource offthe east coast of India