Resources of Commercially lrnportant

The Project for Conservation and Wise Use of Natural Resources of the Chilika Lagoon through CommunitY ParticiPation

in India

The Biological & Ecological Characteristics and the Current Status of Fisheries & Resources of Commercially lrnportant Species in Chilika Lagoon

September 2009

K. Bhatta, R. Samal, S. Karnfl, D. Sahoo, S' Panda, and A. K. Pattnaik

(cDA) K. Hiramatsu and K. Ito (JICA)

Japan International Cooperation Agency Chilika Der,elopment Authority' Orissa Govt., n\DlA

jftn;

.--F-

t*?r

'tfiJ* \i:.

Ghilika

bd4ffiAdotity

The Project for conservation and wise use of Natural Resources of the Chilika Lagoon through Community participation in India

The Biological & Ecological Characteristics and the current status of Fisheries & Resources of commerciaily Important Species in Chilika Lagoon

September 2009

K. Bhatta, R. Samal, S. Karn&, D. Sahooo S. panda, and A. K. Pattnaik

(cDA) K. Hiramatsu and K. Ito

(JrcA)

Japan International Cooperation Agency chilika Development Authority, orissa Govt., II{DIA

ww,,

.O1

JlcA#

Chilika

Oevdlo6sr Auttort!

Contents

Introduction

-i

I

Outline of Chilika lagoon

I

I I Background ofthe project

2

Biological & Ecological Information

II l.l

Spawning and nursery grounds

l.-l

Growth

3

Spawning season

3 _)

7

l.-1 Length-weight relationships

8

l._i Maturity

8

1.6 Mortality

8

Fishery Information ,1.1 Main fishing

grounds

9 i

-l.l Fish catch composition i.3 Catch and efforts statistics i.4

Characteristics of the fisheries in Chilika Lagoon

3.5 status of the fisheries and the resources of target species

9

t0 11 11

16

3.5.1 Khainga (Mugil cephalus)

t7

3.5.2 Bhekti (Lates calcarifer)

2t

3.5.3 Kund ala (Etroplus suratensis)

25

3.5.4 Sahala (Eleutheronema tetradactylus)

29

3.5.5 Ilishi (Tenualosa ilisha)

JJ

3.5.6 Boraga (Dayscieaena albida)

38

3.5'7 Mud crabs (scylla serrata and scyila tranquebarica)

12

3'5'8 Bagada (Penaeus monodon) and Kantala (Fenneropenaeus indicus)

.+5

3.6 Habitat and Area Protection

Literature Cited

48 53

ANNEX ANNEX

1.

Fishery Resources Management - Scientific Paper No. I

2. Fishery Resources Management - Scientific Paper No. 2 ANNEX 3. Fishery Resources Management - Scientific Paper No. 3 ANNEX 4. Catch & efforl statistics (monthly, Oct 2007-Dec 2008): catch in kg ANNEX 5. Landing-centcr-wise catch & effort statistics ANNEX

(rnonthly, Oct 2007-Dec 2008): catch in kg

ANNEX

6.

ANN-1

ANN-I7 ANN-29 ANN-53 ANN-57

Gear-wise catch statistics (monthly, Oct 2007-Dec 2008): catch in kg ANN-103

Fo,"j'.'t'e f4*ll*1"{ [;F \$] '

The Biological & Ecological characteristics and the Current Status of Fisheries & Resources of Commercially Important Species in Chilika Lagoon

1 Introduction 1.1 Outline of Chilika lagoon Chilika, the largest lagoon of India lies in the east coast of India. Situated between latitudes 19' 28'and l9o 54'Nor1h and longitude 85" 05' and 85o 38'East, Chilika extends from south west corner of Puri and Khurda districts to adjoining Ganjam district of Orissa state. It is designated as an important Ramsar site (No.229) of India on l" October 1981. The water spread area of the lagoon varies between about 900 km2 to 1200 km2 during summer and

monsoon respectively. The estuarine lagoon is a unique assemblage of marine, brackish and frcsh water eco-systems. lt is the largest wintcring ground fbr migratory water-fowls found an;,rvhere in the Indian sub-continent. It is one of the hot spot of biodiversity in the country and some rare, vulnerable and endangered species listed in the IUCN Red List

of threatened animals inhabit the Lagoon area for at least part of their life cycle. This list includes endangered Irawady dolphins and the Barakudia limbless skink. The lagoon is divided into four ecological sectors namely, the Northem sector, the Central sector, the Southern sectot, and the Outer channel area (Fig. l.l). Basically, the northem sector is fi'esh water dominated zone and central sector is a brackish water zone. The southern sector

is a higher saline area. The Outer channel is marine in nature with saline water but during monsoon, the water becomes fresh water due to discharge of flood water to the sea.

Fig. 1.1 Sectoral map of Chilika Lagoon: 1: Nofthern sector, 2'. Central sectoq 3: Southern sector, 4: Outer channel

$'r ;'$e' "{ fles'4;sx1 t { $:ft

\};

1.2 Background of the Project In October 2006, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA), in cooperation with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), launched a project "Conservation and WiseUse of Natural Resources of Chilika Lagoon through Community participation,'. This project identified "Fisheries resource survey" and "Planning (drafting) of fishery resources management" as a paft of its main activities. Concerning the fishery resources management, the target species were decided as follows taking into account the commercially impoftance (Fig. 1.2).

Bhekti (Lates calcarifer).Boraga (Dayscieaena albida),Ilishi (Temralosa ilisha),Khainga (Mugil cephalus), Kundala (Etroplus suratensis), Sahala (Eleutherortema tetraclactylus), Bagada (Penaeus monodon), Kantala (Fenneropenaeus indicus), and Mud crabs (Scylla s

errata, Scylla tranquebarica)

Thc Project work in the field of flshery resources management has been going through the processes of biological and ecological data collection, fishery data collection, and data analysis since March 2008.

E

l@w e re Bhekti Lotes calcarifer

Boraga Do,scidena albidq

Kundala

Etroplus suratensis

E I ettlh

Sahala enn enn tet ru(l a t'rr. I il nl

€

Ilishi

Tenualosa ilisha

Khainga Mugil cephalus

Bagada

Kantala

Penueus rnanodon

F e n n erop enaeu.s indi.cus

Mud crab (green)

\Iud crab (red)

,Scylla tranquebarica

Sctlld serrata

Fig. 1.2 Target species for resources management in the Project

Froj*e

t &t*purr {t.R\t.}

2 Biological & Ecological Information 2.1 Spawning season The information on the spawning seasons of target species was obtained from the maturity study and questionnaire survey to the fishers.

In the maturity study, the stages of maturity of fish and mud crab were recorded according to the description of Pollard (1972) and S. Poovachiranon (1992), respectively. And

at the

same time, the gonad somatic index (GSI) has been examined.

In addition to this study, a questionnaire survey was carried out to obtain more information on the spawning seasons of target species. In total, 20 experienced fishers in different places (Arakhakuda, Gangadhalpur, Balugaon, Baulabandh, Kalupadaghat, Nairi, pathara, Gajapatinagar, Gourangapatana, Keshpur, Ramba, and Satapada) were interviewed about the spawning seasons of target species. Table 2.1 shows the Project results on the spawning seasons taking both maturity study and questionnaire results together and the previous study report (Jhingran and Natarajan, 1969) for comparison. The details of this study are mentioned in scientiflc paper No.

I (Annex

1).

Table 2.1 Spawning seasons of target species Species

Spawning seasons

Projectresults(2009) Jhtttg@

Bhekti

Apr-Jul

Apr-Jul

Boraga

Mar-Jun

Apr-Jul

Ilishi

Jul-Sep

Aug-Oct

Kltainga

Sep-Dec

Sep-Jan

Kundala

All year

All year

Sahala

Nov-Dec, Jan-Jun

Jan-Jun

Bagada

All year All year All year

Kantala S.

serrata

S. tranquebarica

Jan-Jun, Aug-Oct (?)

2.2 Spawning and nursery grounds The information on the spawning and nursery grounds was obtained from the surveys and questionnaire to fi shers.

Among the target species, it is considered that Bhekti, Khainga, Bagada, Kantala. and Mud crabs are catadromous and Ilishi is an anadromous species. The habitat use of the target species, especially anadromous and catadromous species, varies greatly based on life history stages, seasons, and location (Able and Fahay 1998; Pattillo et al. 1999: Cardona 1000). Salinity seems to play a major role on habitat utilization and distribution of both adults and juveniles

(Cardona2}}},DoF & CDAAnnual Reporr 2002 03-1003 04). They are highly euryhaline species and live in a wide range of salinities. based on size and nrarurirv* (Pattillo et al. 1999; Cardona 2000). The availability of suitable food may also

P''r,i*"r.

{

f,{*1:o'r

r {t'&4.\[

t

all shallow estuarine influence habitat use by target species. They are found in almost flats, and grass beds habitats including lagoons, bays, rivers, channels, marshes, tidal (Moore l9l ;Pattrllo et al' 1999; Nordlie 2000)' by the selection of the The estimation of the spawning and nursery grounds is first made was used to draw the maps areas with similar ecological features. The satellite imagery logger to know the of those areas and then surveys were carried out by using a GPS data (Fig' 2'l and2'2)' location and to assess the ecological characteristics of those areas grounds to fishers was conducted Secondly, the questionnaire suwey on spawning andnursery

out. In total, 20 experienced fishers and the juvenile observation survey was also carried Kalupadaghat' in different places (Arakhakuda, Gangadhalpur, Balugaon, Baulabandh, Satapada) were Nairi, Pathara, Gajapatinagar, Gouran gapatana, Keshpur, Ramba, and species. interviewed about the spawning and nwsery grounds of target grounds based on the Table 2.2 andFig. 2.3 show the Project results on the spawning (Jhingran and Natarajan' 1969) qucstionnaire survey results and the previous study report taking both survey for comparison. Fig. 2.4 shows the nursery grounds of target species and qucstionnaire results together' No' I (Annex 1)' The details of this study are mentionecl in Scientific Paper

Table 2.2 Sparvning grounds of target species Spalvning grounds

Project results (2009) Sea and Mouth area

eastern parts of Magarmukh ""d & Mouth area of Tua-gambhari), western nafi Nofihern sector (toward River mouth)

S*, W.tt."t Tlishi

Sahala

Central and Southern sectors, Nalabana ls' area Sea, Eastem part of Magannukh (Western part of Tua-sanrbhari), & Moqb qgg Sea and Mouth area Sea and Mouth area

Jhingran & \atarajan (1969)

r ,f ! .fi

s

q

:s

tv

I

Fig.2.1 ThesatelliteirnageryofAlos,whichwastakeninaprillo0g(clryseason) by JAXAandecological suryeypoints; the survey points are inclicatedinthe numbers of I to 9 and those numbers are corresponding to thc numbers of Fig. 2.2 showing the weeds

$;l ':i

I

]:

.

)lmphea nouchali & Eichhctnria

2

"' "ttstpt:; Phragmites karka in back

HyJrila :p. wirh shrinp. F intlicut

**n::.---

--.

Sch oenop/ ec tu s I itto r.a

I

is

gg€ €.#r'i-.,.-aE titt** r#

4. Najas indicct

5. Polamogeton pectinatus

with

Chaetomorpha

P

;,,,

rlu,rri tes

Aa

t.k0

8. Polantogelon peclinatus Fi

t o\

(/)

! d

.a :4

d.

o\ I

-5!

o{

(d

I

.o

(s

v

cd

cq

q

M

a

a!

-

L

{g']{t&,.€

}

Fig. 3.6 Main fishing grounds of target species (orange-colored areas)

3.5 Status of the fisheries and the resources of target species During the Projcct period, the information for the resource management of target species has been collected. The biological & ecological data and fishery data have been collected through research activities and, then, the stock assessment was conducted by using those data to know the status of the resources of target species. And also the information like 5pa\e,ning seasons and grounds of target species. sear-rvise and fishing-ground-wise catch

statistics, etc. has been accumulated.

Conceming the stock assessment, yield per recruitment (YPR) and %spawning stock rirrrrlass per recruitment (%SPR) analyses have been conducted to estimate the appropriate .,.' e1 of fishin_e morlality for target species. And several important biological reference :r .:r:s such as Fmax (fishing morlality rate at which yield-per-recruit is maximized), F0.1 :.:..,1g rrortahn,rate at u,hich the slope of the YPR curve is 10% of the slope at the

'-.. Fl5'r,, tfishins monalitv rale at which the spawning stock biomass-per-recruit '^:: . Ii olthe rirqin or unerploited SSBR). and F30% (fishing mortality rate at '- - - : .::e:stir-nated, 16

lllrer

i*e$ {{*p* n{ {fl

3lq&1l}

- . - i. consrdered a conservative proxy for fishing at MSY. An F-based threshold on females :'..:i on SPR:25% (F 25%), acting essentially as a proxy for Fmsy, should be appropriate :

" ::-:intain the recent harvest level while ensuring the sustainability of the stock. However,

' :t: F Li06 as a proxy for Fmsy, the stock is currently fished near the maximum level that ::".n:ains sustainability, thus leaving little room for acknowledged uncertainty in data used in : '. :ssesstnent or against unpredictable future events such as recruitment failures. The typical :--i:tiqement response to dealing with uncertainty is to adopt more conservative benchmarks - j: 3re considered precautionary @aigh and Sinclair 2000). A target benchmark of F30% ', r,id be a sensible option as a precautionary threshold for the stock. - ,::,:ermore, assuming that there is no significant difference in catch rate among existing fishing :.-::ods. Kinetic Analysis of Fisheries System (KAFS) model (Kimoto et al, 1988) is applied

'

: islimating the present population and biomass of the target species and also for conducting :r:diction of the development of a fishery given assumptions on future recruitment.

i.5.1

Khainga (Mugil cephalus)

426MT per year and the annual landing varies riom 260 MT to 681 MT during the period of 2001102-2007108 (Fig. 3.7). The Khainga commercial fishery averages

Khainga

Fig. 3.7 Annual landing of Khainga during the period of 2001102-2007108 (Statistics of CDA & DOF)

.\s shou'n in Table 3.3 and catch distribution map in Scientific Paper No. 3 (Anner 3). there are high catches of Khainga in October and November in Palur canal region (FG \'-r. 63 and 67). Fig. 3.8 shows the estimated spawning season and the monthlr-catch of Lhainga in the parlicular areas where the high catch appeared.

17

!'i'llf

i;:{:1'

X,i:il{} 't I i' f{i'i'i l

& Ramba & Magarmukha

Palur channel

===::J

@

Nalabana Is.

Spawning season (Project 2009) rITIT

1,600

I,400

Spawning season (Jhingran & Nataraian 1 969)

rtrrlr-Mr

rrtr

I,200 bn

I

U

-

1,000

Khainga

800

600 400 200 0

Fig. 3.8 Monthly catch (sampline-base carch data) of Khainga and the estirnated spawning season

Khainga is considered a catadrornous species due to its periodic migrations from freshwater habitats into marine spawning areas (Martin and Drewry 1978; Collins 19g5a; Blaber 1987). In Chilika Lagoon, Patnaik (1966) observed fully ripe fishes in schools within the breakers zone all along the sea coast extending on both sides of the Lagoon mouth. The fish undertakes sea-ward migration in schools through a 29 km long outer channel and breeds in the sea (Jhingran, 1958 and 1959; Jhingran and Mishra, 1962; Patnaik, 1966). .lhingran and Natarajan (1969) reported that average size of the migrating lish drops as the season advances and the migrating males and females in the period October-December appear to belong to I and II age groups respectively. According to Devasundaram (1952) the fish begins to breed frorn September on wards. Jhingran and Natrajan (1969) estimated the breeding season betr,veen Septernber and January on the basis of their obscrvations of gonad condition and occurrence of fry. They considered \ovember as peak breeding month, and the size at recruitment of the fish is reported 11}rm by Jhingran and Natrajan (1969). The school of pre-matured Khainga spawners starts rnrgrating from the Lagoon to the sea :hror-rgh the Palur canal. However, a parl of Palur canal is completely blocked by the fixed

it is considered that almost those spawners are caught by this fishery in r. reriod rn this region. A large amount of adult Khainga caught by the Khanda fishery -:i r3*Il oftetr observed and the fishing gear-wise catch in those areas also shog-s that r. ':l.ll1 980 o ol Kliainga is caught by Khanda fishery in October and Noyember 2007

:-e: tKhanda) and

.-.:.,

Frarj*e*

*{*p*rf

{tr{qe/g}

Table 3.4 Gear-wise catch (sampling-base catch, kg) of Khainga in Palur canal region (FG No. 63 & 67) Catch

fts)

Oct.07

Fishins sear

Nov.07

108 I .7

9',7.6%

824.5

99.0%

26.4

2.4%

8

t.0%

Total catch ofthe area

I 1 08.1

100.0%

832.5

100.0%

Total landing in Chilika

2234.9

2011.3

49.6%

40.r%

Khanda

Gillnet

o

o

of the catch of the area

-=e stock assessment of Khainga was conducted using KAFS (Kinetic Analysis of lr::eries System) model incorporating YPR and %SPR analysis (Kimoto et al., 19S8) :..euse this model is useful for the data-limited situation like only one year data on the :_:i corxposition of the catch.

l,::

natural mortality (M) of Khainga is estimated 0.19-0.57 from several formulae -,:earaja, 1984;Pauly, D. 1980;Tanaka, 1960). Table 3.5 shows several referencepoints ::anagement, i.e. Fmax, F}.l,F25o/o, andF3}o/o, estimated by the program of KAFS

. :.1e1 with the different M values (M:0.2 and 0.4), and the current fishing mortality F:.-n-ent).

Table 3.5 Estimated reference points and Fcurrent for the Khainga fishery M:0.2 Fmax

F0.1

F30%

F25%

Fcurrent

0.25

0.18

0.26

0.31

0.45

M=0.4 Fmax

F0.l

F30%

F25%

Fcurrent

0.38

0.24

0.32

0.36

0.2s

:rse of M:0.4, it is considered that overfishing is not occurring. However, in case . '''f:0.2. the Fcurrent is larger than other reference points. An F-based threshold on ".::-...es based on SPR :25% (F 25%:0.3 1), should be appropriate to maintain the recent -:r-, iSi ler el while ensuring the sustainability of the stock.

-':-:

-1.6 and 3.7 show the status of the Khainga stock and the spawner-recruitment -."...onship estimated by KAFS model with M:0.2, respectively. And Table 3.8 and = a -: 9 shrrt the results of 10-year projection of the Khainga catch by using the obtained i::',;.ner-recruument relationship (M:0.2). Case 1 shows the projection in the case of - ::_:llation. Case 2 shows the case of observingAct on closed area of Palur canal and . ,:' r-asLrn of Outer channel (except Khanda fishery), and Case 3 shows the case of :::r,,:' j-.\ct on closed area of Palur canal and closed season of Outer channel (except rsren ) and size limit (15cmTL).

l9

ffr*.$*et Kepx*r* {F"Reg}

Table 3.6 Present status of Khainga (M:0.2) Catch (in number)

Catch (in weight)

(x 10^4)

(x 10^4)

(MT)

0

126.1

n.1

I

92.8

2

48.4

l

Population

Age

Spawner (female)

SSB (femate)

(in number) (x 10^4)

(MT)

2.2

0.0

0.0

30.7

52.2

1.9

t.6

16.0

76.3

22.8

54.2

25.3

8.4

73.s

23.3

t02.2

4

13.2

4.4

51.4

12.9

85.0

5

6.9

2.3

39.1

6.8

9.4

6

3.6

t.2

25.3

3.6

38.3

7

1.9

0.6

15.3

1.9

23.2

IJ

1.0

0.3

8.9

I.0

13.5

9

0.5

0.2

5.1

0.5

7.7

5.7

356.0

74.6

385.0

Total

319.6

7

Table 3.7 Present spawner-recruitment relationship of Khainga (M:0.2) SSB (female)

Reproduction rate

(A:MT)

Recruitment (R:x 10^4)

384.96

),26.09

0.327543',7

rR/A)

Table 3.8 Projection of catch of Khainga (MT) Catch (MT), M:0.2 Catch (MT), M:0.3 Catch (MT), M:0.4 Year

Case I

Case 2

Case 3

2008

356.0

356.0

356.0

356.0

356.0

2009

470.6

340.r

319.1

472.7

2010

445.3

369.8

361.7

452.r

201 I

415.8

388.6

411.2

2012

390.1

399.0

446.5

201 3

311.2

404.2

472.8

391.7

3

20r4

358.6

406.1

49t.1

381.4

201 5

350.8

406.2

s03.

1

37 5.0

381.3

1016

346.1

405.3

5

10.3

371.2

:017

343.4

403.6

5t4.1

1018

341.9

401.5

515.4

Case

1

Case 2

Case 3

Case

1

Case 2

Case 3

356.0

356.0

3s6.0

356.0

33s.9

314.s

475.0

332.1

309.4

357.8

350.5

4s9.6

346.8

334.1

428.0

370.9

381.9

441.5

355.

I

355.0

407.1

377.6

406.5

42s.9

359.1

370.8

80.6

424.2

414.3

360.6

381.8

381.5

436.2

406.6

360.9

388.9

443.7

401.9

360.6

393.3

380.6

448.1

399.0

360.1

395.7

369.0

319.5

450.3

391.4

359.4

396.9

361.8

378.1

451.1

396.4

358.6

397.3

Khainga (M:0.3)

Khainga

500 -

500

450 l

;E100l : i l50

tr

Q

...r..

/\_ /{*4l.f**t**',Itc*..

450

: '100 € r