Cage culture initiative to grow marine fish

A new cage culture initiative of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) unit at Vizhinjam, which will be used to grow large marine food fish will be launched on Tuesday.

The concept is simple. Each unit has six cages - nurseries - fixed under a wooden raft.

The cages will allow free flow of sea water, providing the right ambience. Atop the raft, there is a cabin for watchmen and for keeping instruments and materials for experimental work.

The cage will be used for growing large marine fish varieties such as grouper (kalava), cobia (motha) and scad (para), Dr M K Anil, scientist-in-charge, CMFRI Marine Aquarium, Vizhinjam, said. Coast Guard division commandant P K Misra will launch the initiative. CMFRI director Dr NGK Pillai will be present on the occasion.

From the commercial angle, cage culture can pay rich dividends as these fish varieties fetch a very high price in the international market, especially in live condition.

"These fish varieties are required to be grown to large sizes to develop brood stock for producing the seed which in turn can be used for culturing the varieties," Anil said.

Today, technological advances allows transport of live fish varieties in a small quantity of water in anaesthetised state.

Moreover, cage units will also enable research, like studying the growth potential of juvenile fish which will otherwise are discarded or sold at a low price, he said.

Cage culture is hugely popular in countries like Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam, that have a solid presence in the fisheries sector. Also, these cages can be used for farming lobsters, mussels and even pearl oysters.

Apart from providing the right environs, healthy brood fish so produced can also be hormonally induced to produce the seed.

The unit also has the advantage that any number of additional cages can be added to the mother unit if required.

The technology can be used for fish farming not just in the sea but also in lakes, backwaters, reservoirs, rivers where large unused area is available.

And if effectively used, the technology can increase fish production by many folds.

Fishermen of Vizhinjam have actively participated in the CMFRI’s new venture by fabricating the units. They will also manage them.

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Cage culture initiative to grow marine fish