Analysis of bycatches from mid-water trawl fishery targeting ribbonfish Trichiurus lepturus on the north-west coast of India

Commercial trawl fisheries are closely associated with bycatch and discards and itsignificantly affects the non-target resources, biodiversity, ecosystem function and habitat.The present study analysed bycatch based on data obtained from commercially operatedmultiday midwater trawlers operating off the north-west coast of India during August2017-December 2019. The data revealed that bycatch and discards constituted about 53and 6% respectively of the trawl catch. Mid-water trawl bycatch comprised 92 Teleosts,8 Cephalopods, 12 Crustaceans and 11 Elasmobranch species. The bycatch is mainlycomprised of cuttlefishes, squids, threadfin breams, sciaenids, bullseye and lizardfishes.Further, 93.68% of the bycatch consisted of commercially important fish, hence it wasretained in the vessel. The bycatch rate was high in September (72.81±37.44 kg h-1) whereas,for discards, it was in August (16.25±10.84 kg h-1). Keywords:Arabian Sea. Bycatch, Discard, Midwater trawl,Ribbonfish