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The fishery is related to large number species of molluscs found in India. Mollusca is an animal with soft unsegmented body without appendages, calcarious shell, ventral muscular body without appendages, calcarious shell, ventral muscular foor, fold of skin, called, mantle, which secrets shell, lamellate or plume like gills for respiration and usually the presence of a larval stage in development. Of all the invertebrates, mollusca offers the highest opportunity to expand and to harvest for food. Molluscans occur in fresh, marine and brackish waters. Very few species of mollusca are utilised as food and have commercial importance. Thus molluscan fisheries can be classified according to its economical importance as below:
d) Ornamental use
Some limited molluscs are used for food, mostly through out the world, with reference to its taste and availability. Edible oyster is preferred in India as well as Western countries. Oyster is preferred in Indian as well as Western countries. Species called Abalone is even eaten uncooked. Mussels have preference in France and Italy. Cockles and cuttle fish are consumed as food in various other parts of the world. b) Decorative Purpose Trochus,Turbo and shell of window pans oyster are used for making cigarattee ashtrays, lamp shades and other decorative articles. c) Commercial And Industrial Values The demand for great scared chank always exists. Also chank is used for manufacturing bangles. Since molluscan shell contain clacium carbide, it is used in the manufacture of lime, soda ash, caustic potash, carbon dioxide etc. d) Ornamental Value The most important items of jewelry being ‘Genuine pearl’ produced by molluscs and is used in buttons, bangles necklaces etc. e) Medicinal Value Certain species of molluscs are used for Ayurvedic and Unani medicines for cure of disease like asthma rickets etc. Edible Molluscs Few selected species of class Bivalvia Gastropoda and Cephallpoda are utilised as food. Sea Mussels Two species of sea mussels are distributed all along the east and west coasts of India. The green mussel, Mytilus viridis and brown mussels Mytilus spp are confined from Quilon to Cape Comorin, in west coast and Trinnevelly district on the east coast. These are consumed as food by low income group. Modiolus barbatus is distributed in the hard bottom of Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. It is to be dredged from the sea bottom and utilized as poultry feed. |
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