In a significant discovery, the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) has identified several highly productive, unexplored fishing grounds in the Arabian Sea between Goa and Kerala.
The expedition, conducted aboard a deep-sea trawler operated by FSI, covered a vast area from Kollam, Kerala, to Goa. Surveying depths between 300 and 540 meters, the team discovered highly productive fishing zones approximately 100–120 nautical miles off India’s western coast. The average catch per unit effort (CPUE) was recorded at an impressive 150–300 kg/hr, with no significant difference in catch volume or species diversity between day and night operations.
The newly discovered grounds are rich in commercially valuable crustaceans such as Humpback nylon shrimp, Arabian red shrimp, Deepwater spiny lobster, and deep-sea squat lobster. Cephalopod resources, including Opisthoteuthis and Octopoteuthis species, were also abundant.
Additionally, the grounds support a wide variety of fish species, including Froghead eel, Rosy cod, Sackfish, Snake mackerel, Splendid alfonsino, and Shadow driftfish. Several elasmobranch species like Sicklefin chimaera, Pygmy ribbontail catshark, and Bramble shark were found in healthy numbers, further underscoring the area’s biodiversity.
This breakthrough, funded under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), promises to expand India’s fishing industry while reducing pressure on overexploited coastal fisheries.
“This significant discovery highlights the dedication of FSI to explore untapped deep-sea resources,” said Dr Sreenath K R, Director General of FSI.
Dr S Ramachandran, Zonal Director of FSI’s Mormugao base, emphasised the importance of deep-sea resources as coastal fisheries face growing threats from overfishing, habitat degradation and climate change. “Deep-sea fisheries provide a crucial alternative for sustaining India’s fishing sector and ensuring long-term food security,” he noted.
The expedition’s success is credited to a team of dedicated scientists, including Dr Nashad M, Shri Shiva A, Ashik P, Venkatesh Saroj, and Chief Engineer Joseph Ignatious. The Goa-based team, led by Dr H D Pradeep, Dr M K Sinha and Raju S Nagpure, also played a key role in the mission.
Future research will focus on evaluating fish populations, understanding the complex marine environment, and developing sustainable management strategies for these newly discovered fishing grounds.