Current status, potential, and challenges of estuarine finfish studies along the western coast of India: Review and scope for management

Abstract

Estuarine research in India has been prioritised in the mid-21st century, and more noteworthy scientific studies have only been undertaken in the last ten years. Fish yield Estuaries in India play an important role in livelihood, ecology, nutrition, etc. inland fisheries, coastal protection, biodiversity conservation, and poverty alleviation. This review is a pioneering attempt to summarise research directions and findings from 84 WCI (West Coast Indian) estuaries, which include nearly all kinds of estuarine systems, ranging from small open estuaries (e.g., Ulhas) to large temporarily closed estuaries (e.g., Vembanad). They comprise a diverse range of climatic, physiographic, biological, and ecological characteristics, as well as habitats and morphometric features. The review employs all available bibliometric analyses of publications from WCI estuaries concerning fisheries published from 1960 to 2023. Whereas current knowledge of estuarine fish fauna and fish ecology remains scarce in this area, this review describes the available information on finfish biodiversity, fish productivity, assemblage structure, and current research trends, and critically addresses the challenges faced and priorities for estuarine research, knowledge gaps, and recommends sustainable management strategies for the WCI estuarine conservation in India. A brief review of research on fish assemblages, ecosystem health, and ecosystem modeling is given, along with a discussion of pertinent case studies.