Cage-nets a better alternative to fishponds

Fish is one of the main sources of protein for Uganda's population. No one would kill a cow for meat, except on special occasions. Therefore, fish, beans and groundnuts form a very large percentage of the essential protein required for growth in young people and tissue replacement among adults.

Since fish is a key part of nutrition, fish farming - aquaculture - has grown tremendously. For the communities far away from water bodies, fish farming is a low-cost alternative. One can have his or her fish pond in the village. Housewives can nip out and net a tilapia fresh for supper.

But most fish ponds need to be dug and there is an essential discipline in feeding fish, if they are to grow to a suitable size.

To promote fish farming, the Fisheries Department in Entebbe has introduced fish cagenets. The nets are hung on a steel frame in a lake, pond, stream or river. Young fry (junior fish) are put in the net. Because the net mesh is small, less than half an inch, the fry cannot get out. Natural feed flows into the net, so less food has to be fed to the fish, than in a fish pond.

But the biggest advantage is the natural aeration of the water. In many fish ponds, the water quality is bad for fish health.

The Uganda Fishnet Manufacturers in Kampala produces 50 cagenets a month, which are bought through a USAID scheme.

Karen Veverica of Kajjansi is undertaking trials at Sun Fish Farming, a commercial firm in Jinja and at the National Fisheries Centre. She says the total cost of installing a six-cubic metre cagenet, including the steel frame, is sh370,000.

"You can earn that back quite fast with output from a cagenet averaging 195kg per cubic metre over six months," she says. "That compares favourably with any fishpond, where the average catch is less than 1kg/cubic metre."

We could see fresh fish from cagenets supplying an even greater share of Uganda's recommended daily amount of protein.