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• LOBSTER AND THEIR CONSERVATION

• Presented by• Pranab Gogoi• FRM-MA2-09



12/12/2012

Introduction

Lobster one of the most valuable highly priced sea foods

as well as important export commodity.

Among them spiny lobster (rock lobsters) fetch the

highest price.

Widely distributed along the entire coast, major fishery –

the northwest, southwest and southeast coast.

Lobster fauna of commercial fishing ground comprises 14

species of littoral and 6 species of deep sea form.

Nine species of spiny lobsters have been reported fromthe Indian coast (Radhakrishnan, 1995).

Commercially important: 4 littoral and 1 deep sea form

(Radhakrishnan,1995).



Among the 6 species reported from Northwest region

(Chhapgar & Deshmukh, 1971), two species, thepalinurid spiny lobster Panuliurus polyphagus (Herbst)

and the scyllarid Thenus orientalis (Lund) predominant.

On the Southwest coast, P. homarus (Linnaeus) and

deep sea lobster Puerulus sewelli (Ramadon) –

commercial fishery. Panulirus versicolor and P. ornatus (Fabricius) also contribute a good catch.

In the Southeast coast - P. homarus, P. ornatus and

T.orientalis - major species.

Linuparus somniosus from Andaman & Nicober islands

has not been commercially exploited.



P. longipes, P. pencillatus (Trivandrum and

Chennai coast) - not so commercially important. Palinustus waguensis (George, 1965)- appearing

fishery in Chennai coast from 2004 onwards.

Distribution

Northwest coast: P. polyphagus and T. orientalis which

inhabit generally 20-50m depth.

South west coast: P. homarus (1-10 m depth).

Southeast coast: Kanyakumari in the south to Chennainorth. Adult P. orntus inhabits relatively deeper water 40-

50 m depth.



In deeper water: ranges from 150 – 400 m and

max. abundance between 150-250 m. Major fishing ground: off Quilon on the SW coast

and off Tuticorin on the SE coast.

Production trends:

The estimated annual landing increased from 800 t

(1968) to 3000 t (1975) and attained a peak 4075 t

(1985). Thereafter showed a decline trend average around

2200 t for nearly 15years (Radhakrishnan &Thangaraja ).

The landings further declined to 1371t (2004).



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Annual Lobster landing in India (1974-2004)



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Annual lobster landing (1996-2009)

Year 1996 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Series1

Series2



Contributing percentage

NW region: 70%, SE region: 16%, SW region:14%.

Lobster production in India (1996-2009, CMFRI) 1996: 2631 t ; 2001: 1389 t; 2006: 1551 t

1997: 2787 t; 2002: 2573 t: 2007: 1523 t

1998: 2619 t; 2003: 1233 t; 2008: 1974 t

1999: 2094 t; 2004: 1371 t; 2009: 1872 t

2000: 2431 t; 2005: 1201 t



Species distributed along the Indian coast

Panulirus homarus (Scalloped spiny lobster)

P. polyphagus (Muddy spiny lobster)

P. ornatus (ornate spiny lobster)

P. versicolor (Painted spiny lobster)

P. pencillatus (Pronghorn spiny lobster)

P. longiceps (long legged spiny lobster)

Puerulus sewelli (Arabian whip lobster)

Linuparus somniosus (African spear lobster) Palinustus mossimbicus (Buffalo blunthorn

lobster)

Thenus orientalis (Shovel-nosed spiny lobster)



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External anatomy of a lobster



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Biology

Studies were carried out at Veraval, Mumbai, Calicut,

Vizhinzam, Mandapam and Chennai research centre of CMFRI.

Growth is manifested by periodical shedding of

exoskeleton (moulting)

Food and feeding habit These animals generally feed on smaller crustaceans,

mollusccs and polychaetes .

P. polyphagus – muddy substrates and sometimes rocky

bottoms P. homarus and P. ornatus- inhabit rocky and reef areas.

Growth

P. homarus attains a max. total length (TL) of 320 mm,

P. polyphagus - 450 mm,



Sexual maturity

In P. polyphagus attains sexual maturity: 175 mm (TL) for

females whereas majority of males mature at 265mm TL. P. homarus : 55 mm carapace length and majority of

females start breeding at size above 60 mm CL.

P. ornatus starts breeding at 90 mm CL (250 mm TL).

Occurrence mainly at the depth of 40-60 m indicates thespecies breeds probably in deeper waters.

T. orientalis : 124mm TL (Mumbai)

Breeding period

Though the species breeds throughout the year, peakbreeding is from Nov- Dec along the SW coast.

January to March along the SE coast

Northwest coast: extended spawning (T. orientalis ) Sep- April



Fecundity:

Egg bearing

Eggs are attached to the endopodites of the pleopods

and after incubation for 25-30 days, phylosoma larvae

hatch out.

Spiny lobsters are highly fecund and fecundity ranges

from 50,000 – 10,00,000 eggs depending upon the

species and size of the lobster.

Sand lobster: the fecundity of a 240 mm TL female

estimated to range from 20,050 to 53,260 (Kagwade and

Kabli, 1996).



Northwest coast

At Veraval, annual catch decreased from 315 t (1987) to

102 t (2000) and sharply decline to 22 t 2002. Total landing decreased to 3.9 t during 2002.

Adult and spawners mainly comprised: trawl catch,

gillnets and others.

Max. landing gill nets: Sep-Oct. In Mumbai also it is in decreasing trend; 200t (1978), 700

t (1986), 75t (2002).

P. polyphagus and T. orientalis constituted the major

fishery.

P. polyphagus is dominating in Mumbai coast. Size

range : 160mm to 230 mm (TL) forming the mainstay of

fishery.

Abundance: max. in September and minimum in July.



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Southwest coast

Spiny Lobster fishery began at subsistence level initially

and gradually transformed to commercial fishery.

Landing centre: Colachel and Muttom (traditional traps

are used).

Others: Gill net, Trammel net etc.

About 92% catch comprised P. homarus remainder beingP. ornatus and P. versicolor

Decreasing trend: 7.6 t in 1996 and 4 t in 2002.

Fishery: Seasonal extending from Oct- May;

Max. landing: Nov-Jan Coincidence of fishing season and peak breeding season:

60% females caught during the period were egg bearing.

Size: P. homarus : catch ranged 91-280 mm TL.



Southeast coast

Fishery region: Kanyakumari in south and Chennai in

north

At Tuticorin trawlers landed 41% of the total catch and

rest is being by gill net and trammel net.

Gill nets are the major gear operated in the Southern

region and trawl nets is used widely in Northern region.

At Kayalpattanam two species dominating: P. homarus and P. ornatus

At Tuticorin peak fishing season: Oct-Dec and April-May;

(64% annual catch is landed).

At Chennai: trawl net and gill nets. T. orientalis dominating

in trawl catch.

Peak fishing season; Sep-Feb with max. catch in October.

Max, spawning activity: Jan-March and June-July.



Deep sea Lobster fishery

Major ground for deep sea lobster (Puerulus sewelli): off

Quilon on the SW coast and off Tuticorin on the SE coast.

Depth ranged: 150-400m ; abundance: 150-250m

Importance of this resource was recognized in 1959.

Landed by Trawlers only

Avg. annual landing of P. sewelli at Cochin andSakthikulangara was 524 t during 1998-2000

(Radhakrishnan & Manisseri, 2003).

Fishing season: Oct-March.

Size: 81-205 mm (TL) 76-80mm to 186-190 mm in males

71-75 mm to 201-205 mm in females.



Conservation and Management

The lobster fishery in India is a multispecies: catching

both traditional and mechanized gears.

High prices offered for lobster are exploiting the resource

indiscriminately.

Framing and implementation of management measures

has to be taken for conserving the resources.

Awareness camp among fishers

Releasing of egg bearing lobsters

Enforcement of minimum legal size for export

Minimum legal size for fishing

Closure of fishery for during peak breeding season etc.



Recommendations (Radhakrishnan andTahngaraja) for exploitation and management oflobster resource

Strict enforcement of Minimum legal size (MLS) for

fishing by state govt.

Ban of operation of destructive fishing gear (Trammel net)

and fishing by divers, Traps with escape gaps to be

maintained

Partial closure of fishery during peak breeding season or

ban on fishing of egg bearing lobsters.

Establishment of marine reserves or lobsters sanctuaries

to maintain and protect breeding stock.

Establishment of artificial habitats to provide additional

substrate for young lobsters (increase food production

and protection from predators)



Creation of awareness among the lobster fishermen on

good fishing practices and sustainable exploitation

Allot research funding for development of breeding and

hatchery technology for spiny and slipper lobster and sea

ranching for stock enhancement

“The regulatory measures shall consider the socio-

economic view point so that the fishermen are not

adversely affected because numbers of fishermen they

use the practices as subsistence fishing”.



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Minimum legal size for export of lobsters from India

Notification: Ministry of Commerce and Industry: 17 July, 2003

Species Live/chilled/

frozen

Whole

cooked

Tail

Panulirus polyphagus 300 g 250 g 90 g

P. homarus 200 g 170 g 50 g

P. ornatus 500 g 425 g 150 g

Thenus orientalis 150 g - 45 g



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References

1. Joseph Mohan M. and A.A. Jayprakash “Status of

exploited marine fishery resources of India”; Publishedby CMFRI (ICAR), p.195-202.

2. Radhakrishnan E.V., and R. Thangaraja “Sustainable

exploitation and conservation of lobster resources in

India-A participatory approach”-published by RajivGandhi Chair in Contemporary Studies, School of

environmental studies, Cochin University of Science

and Technology. P. 184-192 (2008).

3. Radhakrishnan E.V., V.D. Deshmukh, Mary k.

Manisseri, M. Rajamani, Joe K. Kizhakudan and R.

Thangaraja “ Status of Major lobster fisheries in India”;

New Zealand Journal of Marine Research, 2005, Vol,

39, P. 723-732.

4. CMFRI, Bulletin No. 48, Lobster farming in India.



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