LOBSTER AND THEIR CONSERVATION

Presented by Pranab Gogoi FRM-MA2-09

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 from the Indian coast (Radhakrishnan, 1995). Commercially important: 4 littoral and 1 deep sea form (Radhakrishnan,1995).
12/12/2012

 Among the 6 species reported from Northwest region

(Chhapgar & Deshmukh, 1971), two species, the palinurid 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 Chennai north. Adult P. orntus inhabits relatively deeper water 4050 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).

 Annual Lobster landing in India (1974-2004)

12/12/2012

Annual lobster landing (1996-2009)

3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Series1 Series2

Year 1996 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 12/12/2012

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)

External anatomy of a lobster

12/12/2012

12/12/2012

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 the species breeds probably in deeper waters. T. orientalis: 124mm TL (Mumbai) Breeding period Though the species breeds throughout the year, peak breeding is from Nov- Dec along the SW coast. January to March along the SE coast Northwest coast: extended spawning (T. orientalis) SepApril

Fecundity:
Egg bearing
Eggs are attached to the endopodites

of the pleopods and after incubation for 25-30 days, phylosoma larvae hatch out. from 50,000 10,00,000 eggs depending upon the species and size of the lobster.

Spiny lobsters are highly fecund and fecundity ranges

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.

12/12/2012

12/12/2012

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 being P. 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 and Sakthikulangara 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 and Tahngaraja) for exploitation and management of lobster 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 socioeconomic view point so that the fishermen are not adversely affected because numbers of fishermen they use the practices as subsistence fishing.

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
P. homarus P. ornatus Thenus orientalis

300 g
200 g 500 g 150 g

250 g
170 g 425 g -

90 g
50 g 150 g 45 g
12/12/2012

12/12/2012

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

exploited marine fishery resources of India; Published by 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 Rajiv Gandhi 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.

THANK YOU