integrated coastal zone management project west ... - Iczmpwb.org

16Plotosus canius, Pompus argenteus, Pangasius pangasius, Chanos chanos, Eleutheronematetradactylum, Polynemous paradiseus and Pama pama. Shellfish species includes Penaeusmonodon and Metapenaeus monoceros. There are two types of edible crabs: Scylla serrataand neptunus pelagiens. Among these, the most highly valued economic species is the Tigerprawn (Penaeus monodon). In fact, major economic activities of this region centre round thisspecies through collecting and marketing seeds as well as rearing and farming in brackishwater bheries. Amongst the fin fishes, the highly priced hilsa (Teualosa ilisha), bhetki (Latescalcarifer), bhangone (Liza tade), parse (Liza parsia), etc., form a lucrative fishery of thisregion. More than 500 tonnes of the mud crab (Scylla serrata) is exported alive to far easterncountries. Indiscriminate exploitation of fishery resources and unregulated use of shootingnets of small mesh size in the estuary for the collection of tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon)seeds are resulting in tremendous loss of diversity of faunal components in the estuaries ofSBR. The result of such rampant destruction of other juvenile fish seeds has been reflected inthe drop in availability and catch of other fish species in the estuaries. The estimated numberof fish species lost by this process is about 30 in number which are of indigenous type. Thesespecies breed naturally in the estuaries and cannot be breed in captivity. The loss inbiodiversity has also been evident by species wise drop in fish catch by the fishermen.20. The annual total fish yield (in metric ton) in Sundarban varies from about 26000 to51000 with about 80% of the fish catch taking place during November to January. Out of thetotal annual catch, the annual Hilsha Drift Gillnet Fishery yields about 1000 to 7500 tons.21. The land is inhabited by Royal Bengal Tigers. Wildlife of Sunderbans also harboursjungle cats, fishing cats, Axis deer, wild boar, Rhesus monkeys, mongooses and the largestestuarine crocodiles in the world. Sunderbans is the breeding ground of immense variety ofbirds like Heron, Egret, Cormorant, Fishing Eagle, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Seagul, Tern,Kingfisher as well as migratory birds like Whimprel, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Stint,Eastern Knot, Curlew, Sandpiper, Golden Plover, Pintail, White-eyed Pochard and alsoWhistling teal. Wide variety of aquatic and reptile life forms are present that include OliveRidley sea turtle, hardshelled Batgur Terrapin, Pythons, King cobra, Chequered killback,Monitor and lizards including the Salvator lizards. The Sundarban ecosystem is characterisedby a very dynamic environment due to the effect of tide, flooding, salinity and cyclones. As aresult several remarkable species are found such as estuarine crocodile (Crocodilus porosus),16