DIVERSITY AND FISHERY OF SELF RECRUITING SPECIES IN ANDAMAN ISLANDS

Exploratory surveys were conducted in inland aquatic systems in South Andaman for documenting the distribution and abundance of self recruiting species (SRS). Rice fields, derelict ponds, farmer ponds, subducted area post-tsunami with brackish water were surveyed from lowland and upland areas of South Andaman. Oreochromis mossambicus, Clarias batrachus, Heteropneustes fossilis and Macrobrachium lar were the prominent SRS in ponds and rice fields, while estuarine fishes like Lates calcarifer, Perna viridis, Liza parsia and Penaeus monodon were predominant estuarine catches from open waters. The catch per unit effort of open waters varied from 21.5 to 27 kg/fisher/week whereas at the level of a subsistence fishery the catch was 0.8 to 1.06kg/fisher/week. The major gears used by the inland fishers were cast net, gill nets, traps and line fishing. Key words: Aquatic systems, inland capture, livelihood, subsistence fisheries.