Today cage culture is receiving more attention by both researchers and commercial producers. Factors such as increasing consumption of fish, some declining wild fish stocks, and a poor farm economy have produced a strong interest in fish production in cages. Many small or limited resource farmers are looking for alternatives to traditional agricultural crops. Aquaculture appears to be a rapidly expanding industry and one that may offer opportunities even on a small scale. Cage culture also offers the farmer a chance to utilize existing water resources, which in most cases have only limited use for other purposes.
The cages going to be use in this project will be of pontoons. Pontoons are a universal structure of virgin material of High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE). These are square shaped and have a weight of 7 kgs. Pontoons are used everywhere in the world as a dock in the sea. This is the reason behind using these pontoons as a floating frame of the cages in the project. Each pontoon is of weight 7 kg. Life of pontoon cages is more than 10 years.
Nets used in this project will be made of HDPE and nylon material. Mostly there are 3 types of nets will be used such as, Bird protection net, fingerling net, cage nursery and grow out net and predator nets. These nets do have different mesh sizes according to the size of fish to be reared and grown. Life of the nets is approximate 7-8 years.
While doing cage culture applicant fisheries are well aware about Guidelines of doing responsible fish culture (Tilapia) and other rules and regulations and we will follow the required rules and regulations.
Cage aquaculture involves growing fishes in existing water resources while being enclosed in a net cage, which allows free flow of water. It is an aquaculture production system made of a floating frame, net materials and mooring system (with rope, buoy, anchor etc.) with a round or square shape floating net to hold and culture large number of fishes and can be installed in reservoir, river, lake or sea. Economically speaking, cage culture is a low impact farming practice with high returns and least carbon emission activity.
Fish Production In Cages
Farming fish in an existing water body removes one of the biggest constraints of fish farming on land- the need for a constant flow of clean, oxygenated water. Cage farms are positioned to utilize natural currents, which provide the fish with oxygen and other appropriate natural conditions while also removing waste.
Indian's long coastline, vast brackish water areas available in coastal states and other underutilized water bodies can be better utilized by adopting cage culture. Since the investment is low and requires very little/no land area, this farming method is ideal for small to medium scale fisher folks as an alternative income source.
