Diversity of commercially important fishes of Karwar, West coast of India

The Karwar coast is recognised for diverse commercially important fishes, with recent highlighting a wide range of species contributing significantly to local fisheries and the economy. The present investigation was carried out on commercially important marine and estuarine fishes harvested along the Karwar coast. The random sampling method was employed to access the trawler, purse seines, shore seines and drag nets catches. A total 93 species belonging to 42 families of marine and estuarine fishes were identified over eight years study period from September 2017 to September 2025. Most of the species were commonly available in all season along the Karwar coast. Major commercially important species include Rastralliger kanagurta, Sardinella longicepsis Flat fishes such as Cynoglossuss macrostomus and Pseudorhombus arsius, croakers (Otolithus ruber) and a variety of prawns and crabs, especially peneida prawns like Metapenaeus dobsoni and Parapenaeopsis indicus. The dominant families represented are Carangidae, Scombridae, Lutjanidae, Clupidae and Dussumieridae, in shell fishes Penaeidae represented significant diversity and distribution along the Karwar coast. Traditional-artisanal fishing equally contributes on part to distribute to the mechanised fishing highlights the shoreline fishing management. Over all Karwar coast is considered as mackerel and sardine coast in the fishing atlas.