Status Survey on Trochus Niloticus : Linnaeus, 1767 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Classification of Trochus Niloticus. 3. Review of literature. 4. Objectives of the study. 5. Aim. 6. Study area. 7. Material and methods. 8. Results and discussion. 9. Significant findings. 10. Illegal fishing and trading. Summary. Recommendations. References.

From the Introduction: The seas around Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a rich ground for a variety of commercially important molluscs. Among the seas shells, Trochus or top shell and Turbo or Turban shell have unique position in commercial point of view. As early as 1927, the Trochus fishery was initiated in Andaman Islands, however the regular fishery on Trochus organised during October 1929 at these Islands. In the initial season, the fishery yielded not less than 500 tons of shells within the first three months, but the yield, however, began to steadily decline and although the period of fishing has since then been doubled the quantity of shells obtained was reached the low figure of 40 tonnes in one fishing season. Subsequently, a consolidated scientific report was published in 1938 by Zoological Survey of India (ZSI, 1939) on the shell fisheries of these Islands during 1930-35 dealing with the history of Andaman shell fisheries, fishing methods, important beds of top and turban shells and the scientific work. Considering the importance of Trochus fisheries is threatened with almost complete extinction in its natural beds, the Government of India on the recommendations of ZSI initiated to control the Trochus fishery on scientific basis.