Community structure and seasonal variation of an inshore demersal fish community at Goa, West Coast of India

Structure and seasonal variation of an inshore demersal fish assemblage have been described from 52 trawl samples collected between November 1988–November 1989 from Aguada and Marmugao Bays at Goa (west coast of India). A total of 12 519 individuals belonging to 59 species were collected. There was a clear seasonal fluctuation in relative abundance, biomass, species occurrence and species dominance. Families such as Sciaenidae, Leiognathidae, Cynoglossidae, Clupeidae and Ariidae dominated the demersal fish community, both in abundance and in biomass over the two areas. About 50% of the recorded species regularly occurred in the two areas. Density and biomass were high during post- and pre-monsoon seasons and low during the monsoon seasons. The species assemblages at the two sites were similar and showed much overlap of dominant species. Resident and quasi-resident species were dominant throughout the year and the overall population consisted mainly of marine coastal species. Cluster analysis showed species segregation into seasonal groups and intense association among different species groups. There was seasonal fluctuation in diversity indices and a marginal increase in species richness in Aguada bay was noticed. The dominance of juveniles in the catches indicate that the two areas serve as nursery grounds for the juveniles of several commercially important marine teleosts.