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alive for a long time after they are caught. They are, therefore, highly
prized where " halal " is necessary.
(17) TARGET PERCHES
These are small fishes belonging to the family Theraponidae and are so
called (target perch) because of concentric dark rings on the body and a
dark spot on the dorsal fin, giving an appearance of bull's eye of a
shooting target.. Of the four species, Therapon jarbua and Therapon
theraps are common, the former in the inshore waters and the latter in the
off-shore waters. T. jarbua is known as "navera " it breeds freely in
estuarine waters, young ones frequenting shallow freshwater streams in
large numbers.
(18) LADY FISH
Sillago sihama, lady fish or sand whiting, is one of the very popular food
fishes of Maharashtra. It has an elongated, sleek and slender body, with
olive green colour along the back becoming light on the abdomen. It
prefers regions of coastal waters and estuaries. Poly- chaete worms form
major item of its food. Spawning season extends from August to February.
A study of sex ratio has revealed that males out-number the female in the
commercial catches in the proportion of 56.0 : 44.0. It attains a length of
15, 20, 25 cms. and 28 cms. (about 6, 8, 10 and 11 inches) in the 1st, 2nd,
3rd and 4th year of its life respectively. It is known as " Murdi, " " nagli "
or " Renavi ".
(19) HORSE MACKERELS
The family Carangidae, which contains horse mackerels, has a large
number of genera and species, and has a world wide distribution, playing
an important role in the commercial fisheries. In Maharashtra, as many
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