tunas
Fishermen looking towards oceanic tunas
BY MRITYUNJAY BOSE
While the oceanic tuna fishery by distant water fishing nations is flourishing in the Indian Ocean Region and some coastal nations are also increasing exploiting the tuna stocks to boost up exports, India is yet to enter this field in a large way. Tunas are high-yielding variety, tastes good – like 'bangdas' and 'surmai' - and yields excellent returns in export market – given its demand.
The potential is yet to be fully tapped, or rather tapped. The annual potential is nearly 24 lakh tones as far as different varieties of tuna is concerned, but what we fish today is a few tones. "We are negligible and the potential is yet to be fully tapped," says Dr V S Somvanshi, the Director General of Fishery Survey of India (FSI), headquartered in Mumbai.
However, Dr Somvanshi points out that now efforts are on to rope in fishermen to look for tuna as an alternative given its demand in Japan and Europe. "We are blessed with a large coastline and a vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and hence the potential," he said and pointed out that some fishermen from Maharashtra had undergone programmes regarding this and has shown interest in fishing tunas. "Like prawns, tunas too has a very high demand. As regards, shrimps, prawns and lobsters, we have penetrated into the export market – and we now need to enter the tuna market in the same way, as the yields are very high," Dr Somvanshi told 'The Herald'.
Earlier surveys have revealed occurrence of some of the principal tuna species, particularly yellow fin tuna, and billfishes in different parts of our EEZ. FSI however continues the tuna long line survey, which will enable in generating best scientific knowledge and a sound database on distribution, availability, seasonality and migratory trend of the larger pelagic stocks in the Indian EEZ and adjoining high seas. Chiefly, Japan, Spain, France, Taiwan and Thailand are engaged in fishing tunas. Indonesia and South Korea are also into it. Japan is the leading nation.
In 2005, India exported nearly 45 tonnes to tuna to Japan and European countries and in 2006 it was nearly 150 tonnes – however, it is far less than the projected potential of 24 lakh tones – though the infrastructure cost may be a bit on the higher side. "If you go to deep sea, there are huge stocks – be it Maharashtra coast or Karnataka or Goa coasts," said Dr Somvanshi. "Being migratory in nature, it comes from Oman towards Gujarat coast and then swim downwards into the Indian Ocean from the Arabian Sea," he said and pointed out that one tuna weighs nearly 100 to 200 kg and in wholesale market it may fetch around 11 to 18 dollars.
The varieties of tunas that are available on the Indian waters are – big eye tuna, yellow fin tuna, skipjack tuna and big eye tuna.
To promote tunas, one of the steps that the FSI is undertaking is conversion of conventional trawlers into what is known as monofilament longlining – a new technology for harvesting oceanic tunas. The government is ready to help the fishermen in this regard. As regards, FSI, they have six specialized vessels – and they are based in Vizag and Chennai. "The coastal tunas have red meat, but the oceanic tunas bear white meat – and hence the demand of oceanic tunas are quite high," he said.
As regards, the preservation, they have also found out ways and three of them commonly used are – catch them, put in ice box, bring to the shores and export the next day, another involves 10 to 15 days of fishing during which these are kept in specially designed chill tanks in these vessels. The third method is that of deep freezing – keeping then in minus 55 to 60 degree Celsius. "Another is to remove the gills, head and gut and chill and then export," he said. Conventionally, Indian fishermen had not been involved in fishing oceanic tunas, but now time has come when fishermen need to exploit these options, FSI feels. "In America canned tuna was popular, but now the demand of fresh tuna has increased," he said.
Tuna are several species of ocean-dwelling fish in the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Some tuna are able to inhabit freshwater environs as well. Tunas are fast swimmers—have been clocked at 77 km/h (48 mph)—and include several species that are warm-blooded. Unlike most fish species, which have white flesh, the flesh of tuna is pink to dark red. This is because tuna muscle tissue contains greater quantities of myoglobin, an oxygen-binding molecule. Some of the larger tuna species such as the bluefin tuna can raise their blood temperature above the water temperature with muscular activity.
Dr Somvanshi also pointed out estimates of fishery potential are being increasingly applied as reference points in rational development and scientific management of fisheries. FSI makes assessment of fishery resources in the Indian EEZ by different analytical and production models suitable for tropical fisheries. Assessments are made for individual stocks as well as multi-species fishery with reference to maritime state, regions and on all India basis. The Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) from the Indian EEZ has been estimated as 3.92 million tonnes (1990). With the additional data being generated in resources surveys and with due regard to the changes taking place in the fishery the estimates are being refined and updated. Variabilities of stock densities and biomass of important stocks are being assessed on a yearly basis.
BY MRITYUNJAY BOSE
While the oceanic tuna fishery by distant water fishing nations is flourishing in the Indian Ocean Region and some coastal nations are also increasing exploiting the tuna stocks to boost up exports, India is yet to enter this field in a large way. Tunas are high-yielding variety, tastes good – like 'bangdas' and 'surmai' - and yields excellent returns in export market – given its demand.
The potential is yet to be fully tapped, or rather tapped. The annual potential is nearly 24 lakh tones as far as different varieties of tuna is concerned, but what we fish today is a few tones. "We are negligible and the potential is yet to be fully tapped," says Dr V S Somvanshi, the Director General of Fishery Survey of India (FSI), headquartered in Mumbai.
However, Dr Somvanshi points out that now efforts are on to rope in fishermen to look for tuna as an alternative given its demand in Japan and Europe. "We are blessed with a large coastline and a vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and hence the potential," he said and pointed out that some fishermen from Maharashtra had undergone programmes regarding this and has shown interest in fishing tunas. "Like prawns, tunas too has a very high demand. As regards, shrimps, prawns and lobsters, we have penetrated into the export market – and we now need to enter the tuna market in the same way, as the yields are very high," Dr Somvanshi told 'The Herald'.
Earlier surveys have revealed occurrence of some of the principal tuna species, particularly yellow fin tuna, and billfishes in different parts of our EEZ. FSI however continues the tuna long line survey, which will enable in generating best scientific knowledge and a sound database on distribution, availability, seasonality and migratory trend of the larger pelagic stocks in the Indian EEZ and adjoining high seas. Chiefly, Japan, Spain, France, Taiwan and Thailand are engaged in fishing tunas. Indonesia and South Korea are also into it. Japan is the leading nation.
In 2005, India exported nearly 45 tonnes to tuna to Japan and European countries and in 2006 it was nearly 150 tonnes – however, it is far less than the projected potential of 24 lakh tones – though the infrastructure cost may be a bit on the higher side. "If you go to deep sea, there are huge stocks – be it Maharashtra coast or Karnataka or Goa coasts," said Dr Somvanshi. "Being migratory in nature, it comes from Oman towards Gujarat coast and then swim downwards into the Indian Ocean from the Arabian Sea," he said and pointed out that one tuna weighs nearly 100 to 200 kg and in wholesale market it may fetch around 11 to 18 dollars.
The varieties of tunas that are available on the Indian waters are – big eye tuna, yellow fin tuna, skipjack tuna and big eye tuna.
To promote tunas, one of the steps that the FSI is undertaking is conversion of conventional trawlers into what is known as monofilament longlining – a new technology for harvesting oceanic tunas. The government is ready to help the fishermen in this regard. As regards, FSI, they have six specialized vessels – and they are based in Vizag and Chennai. "The coastal tunas have red meat, but the oceanic tunas bear white meat – and hence the demand of oceanic tunas are quite high," he said.
As regards, the preservation, they have also found out ways and three of them commonly used are – catch them, put in ice box, bring to the shores and export the next day, another involves 10 to 15 days of fishing during which these are kept in specially designed chill tanks in these vessels. The third method is that of deep freezing – keeping then in minus 55 to 60 degree Celsius. "Another is to remove the gills, head and gut and chill and then export," he said. Conventionally, Indian fishermen had not been involved in fishing oceanic tunas, but now time has come when fishermen need to exploit these options, FSI feels. "In America canned tuna was popular, but now the demand of fresh tuna has increased," he said.
Tuna are several species of ocean-dwelling fish in the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Some tuna are able to inhabit freshwater environs as well. Tunas are fast swimmers—have been clocked at 77 km/h (48 mph)—and include several species that are warm-blooded. Unlike most fish species, which have white flesh, the flesh of tuna is pink to dark red. This is because tuna muscle tissue contains greater quantities of myoglobin, an oxygen-binding molecule. Some of the larger tuna species such as the bluefin tuna can raise their blood temperature above the water temperature with muscular activity.
Dr Somvanshi also pointed out estimates of fishery potential are being increasingly applied as reference points in rational development and scientific management of fisheries. FSI makes assessment of fishery resources in the Indian EEZ by different analytical and production models suitable for tropical fisheries. Assessments are made for individual stocks as well as multi-species fishery with reference to maritime state, regions and on all India basis. The Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) from the Indian EEZ has been estimated as 3.92 million tonnes (1990). With the additional data being generated in resources surveys and with due regard to the changes taking place in the fishery the estimates are being refined and updated. Variabilities of stock densities and biomass of important stocks are being assessed on a yearly basis.
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