Commercially important meroplankton production and fishery potential in the Gulf of Mannar

Abstract

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-IN">Meroplankton productivity and the fish landing were recorded from the selected two inshore stations, Mandapam and Kudankulum along the east coast of India. Meroplankton such as nauplius, protozoea and mysis of penaeus and metapenaeus prawns; zoea and megalopa of crab; veliger larvae of mollusc; fish larvae and eggs were segregated and quantified from the zooplankton sampled for two years (November 1993 to October 1995) .The metoplankton production was compared with fishery potential and found that both meroplantkon production and fishery potential go hand in hand during most months of the study period. It reveals these locales are the ideal breeding sites for such fishes and shell fishes.</span>