Emerging jellyfish fisheries along Central South East coast of India

A study was attempted to describe commercial jellyfish fisheries and to evaluate the economic performance of harvesting jellyfish by coastal fisher folk in Andhra Pradesh, India during 2017–19. The study revealed that only single species of rhizostomatid jellyfish, Crambionella annandalei supports the active jellyfish fishery. The fishing season was found to be during March to July. The total quantities of this edible jellyfish caught by motorized crafts were estimated to 55,181 tonnes along the coast of Andhra Pradesh during 2017–19. The highest catch was in 2018, wherein 33,273 tonnes were landed. The estimated value of oral arms of jellyfish at landing centre level was highest at Rs. 4013 lakhs ($5.65 Million) in 2018 whereas, the lowest estimated value was Rs. 20 lakhs ($0.02 Million) in 2019. The average operating cost per trip of the single day motorized crafts engaged in fishing jellyfishes worked out to be Rs. 3527($49.70), and with a catch rate estimated at 191 kg/trip, the gross revenue earned from each fishing trip was Rs. 6271($88.37). Net operating income was Rs. 2744($38.67) per trip with a capital productivity of 0.62. The labour productivity estimated was 30.06 kg per trip. Though, jellyfish fisheries have resulted in substantial economic benefits to fishermen, the processors and thus the local economy, it could adversely impact the jellyfish populations of the area. Processed oral arms of the jellyfish have good demand and are exported to South-East Asian countries mostly China. The detailed procedures involved in processing of jellyfish are also discussed in this paper.