Aqua tourism: Evaluation of pearl spot as a candidate species for angling

Abstract

Aqua tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors in the world. Angling, the recreational catching of fish by hook and line (sport-fishing), is a principal component of aqua tourism activity. The species of fish pursued by anglers in different parts of the world vary very much. Some fishes are sought for their value as food, others are pursued for their fighting abilities or for the difficulty of pursuit. Angling for recreation in Kerala is more or less restricted to high ranges. The fishes used are principally trouts and mahseers. Though there is very good scope, Kerala has paid little attention for the development of recreational fisheries, in mid land and in the coastal regions. In the present study pearl spot, Etroplus suratensis (Bloch) is evaluated as a candidate species for use in angling in these regions. The potential of the species for use in recreational fisheries and its role in development of aqua tourism in the state are also discussed.