The Ashtamudi short-neck clam forms a significant fishery resource holding India’s first Marine Stewardship Council Certification. The taxonomic classification of this particular clam has engendered debate regarding its proper nomenclature. The present study aims to provide its first comprehensive mitogenome profile from the type locality to address the existing taxonomic ambiguity. The mitogenome assembled using the genome skimming method had 17,991 base-pair length with 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs and control region. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated data set of PCGs and rRNAs from 47 representative species of Veneridae grouped all species including short-neck clams from the subfamily Tapetinae into a single clade. This analysis also revealed the polyphyly of the genus Marcia. Nevertheless, the short-neck clam co-clustered with Marcia recens from Chinese waters.

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Studies on Pomadasys maculatus collected from the southwest coast of India showed fishes in the length range 130-197 mm with a mean standard length of 139.41 mm and body weight of 79.09 g. The growth pattern observed was isometric. P. maculatus shows no sexual dimorphism. Since there is no recent information on the morphometric and meristic characteristics of P. maculatus from India, the present study is expected to add more knowledge to the species.

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The study focused on the fishery and biological aspects of the spotted sardinella Amblygaster sirm (Walbaum, 1972) exploited along the southern coast of India from 2015 to 2020. The summary of the fishery reveals noticeable annual fluctuations in landing, with peak landings reported from November to March along the coast. The study included fish with total length (TL) ranging from 149 to 208 mm in males and 152 to 217 mm in females. The peak in gonadosomatic Index (GSI) in January indicates its spawning season, and Lm50 was estimated at 172 mm TL in females. The sex ratio (F: M) was determined at 1:1.2, with males dominating most months. Fecundity ranged from 11632 to 43200 eggs per spawning. Five stages of maturity in A. sirm were identified through external analysis of gonads. Seven histological ovarian stages of A.sirm were recorded, providing a primary reference for future studies. These findings aim to assist fishery managers and policymakers in adopting effective management practices for the sustainable harvesting of this resource.

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The present study addresses the crucial sustainability concerns in small-scale fisheries (SSF) against the backdrop of escalating anthropogenic activities and climate change impacts on marine fishery and ecosystems. Our study focused on a traditional fishery exploitation area spanning 12,646.12 km2 along the Southwestern Coast of Kerala, India, and explored four widely used fishing gears. We established an integrated decision-making VIKOR framework, and preferential modelling by incorporating techno-economic and environmental aspects to draw the optimal solutions. Leveraging 10 sustainability indicators, the boat seine emerged as the most sustainable gear, showcasing significant profitability (US$ 16,126/year−1 net profit) and remarkable energy efficiency, surpassing gillnetters, longliners, and shore seiners by 8.4, 4.9, and 3.0 times, respectively. The Fuel Use Intensity (FUI) and CO2 emissions analysis (F value = 58.37, P < 0.0001) emphasizes the ecological implications. 

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Kumar, Rajan and Dash, Gyanaranjan and Muktha, M and Sasikumar, Geetha and Ganga, U and Kizhakudan, Shoba Joe and Chellappan, Anulekshmi and Bhendekar, S N and Sukumaran, Sandhya and Thomas, Sujitha and Varghese, Eldho and Abdussamad, E M and Josileen, Jose and Dash, Swatipriyanka Sen and Rahangdale, Shikha and Pillai, S Lakshmi and Remya, L and Akhilesh, K V and Chakraborty, Rekha D and Rajesh, K M and Najmudeen, T M and Kuriakose, Somy and Mini, K G and Purushottama, G B and Kavitha, M and Vidya, R and Nakhawa, A D and Vinothkumar, R and Roul, Subal Kumar and Mahesh, V and Wilson, Livi and Divipala, Indira and Jasmin, F and Abdul Azeez, P and Surya, S and Koya, Mohammed and Manas, H M and Vase, Vinay Kumar and Rajkumar, M and Dineshbabu, A P and Sarada, P T and Venkatesan, V and Nair, Rekha J and Pradhan, Rajesh Kumar and Gomathi, P and Sunil Kumar, S Ali and Margaret Muthu Rathinam, A and Laxmilatha, P and Ghosh, Shubhadeep and Jayasankar, J and Gopalakrishnan, A (2024) Assessment of marine fish stocks within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone: Status report 2022. Indian Journal of Fisheries, 71 (1). pp. 1-11. ISSN 0970 - 6011

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