Cage Systems for Fish farming

Cage Culture: Dive Deep for a Sustainable Leap!

Cage Systems for Fish Culturing represents a mobile aquatic nursery located within a lake, river, or sea. This involves the submersion of a substantial net or enclosure in the water. Juvenile fish are introduced into this enclosure, where they reside and develop, consuming the organic nutrients available in the surrounding water. The enclosure serves as a safeguard, shielding the fish from potential threats. It facilitates the nourishment and health monitoring of the fish. Once the fish reach an appropriate size, they can be harvested from the enclosure. This method cultivates a significant quantity of fish in a natural, secure, and regulated environment, similar to operating a floating aquaculture facility.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

8•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 8/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive medium

Women: Positive medium

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Problem

Limited Space: Traditional fish farming methods often require large tracts of land, which can be expensive and scarce.
Lack of Control: In open water bodies, it’s difficult to control the environment of the fish, leading to losses from predators and disease.
Water Quality Issues: In other forms of aquaculture, especially in small ponds, water quality can deteriorate quickly. This can lead to problems like low oxygen levels, buildup of harmful substances like ammonia or nitrite, and excessive growth of algae.
Environmental Concerns: Some aquaculture methods can have a negative impact on the environment, such as pollution from waste products.
Unpredictable Upwelling Events: In open water bodies, upwelling events can occur, where cold, nutrient-rich water replaces the warm surface water. This can drastically change the conditions in the cage, affecting the health of the fish.

Solution

Efficient Space Utilization: Cage systems allow for efficient use of water bodies, reducing the need for large tracts of land. This makes it a cost-effective solution, particularly in areas where land is scarce or expensive.
Controlled Environment: The enclosed nature of the cages provides a controlled environment for the fish, reducing losses due to predation and disease.
Water Quality Management: Cage systems help manage water quality issues that are common in other forms of aquaculture. They contribute to maintaining water quality in larger water bodies.
Reduced Environmental Impact: Cage systems aim to minimize the environmental impact of aquaculture. They contribute to maintaining water quality in larger water bodies.
Mitigation of Upwelling Events: High-tech solutions have emerged to address the issue of predicting and mitigating upwelling events.

Key points to design your project

Cage aquaculture systems are a game-changer for traditional fish farming in Africa. These floating cages allow fish to grow in their natural habitat, offering a scalable solution that minimizes land use and adapts to available water resources. This method not only boosts local farmers’ income through increased fish production but also aligns with Africa’s commitment to sustainable development goals. It reduces the ecological impact of fish farming, optimizes resource utilization, and plays a crucial role in strengthening food security.

Incorporating cage systems in fisheries into a project or program requires :

Training and Capacity Building: This is vital for farmers. It includes understanding the biology of the fish species, feed management, water quality management, and disease control. Special attention should be given to the unique aspects of cage systems, such as the design and maintenance of the cages.
Key partnerships include cage system manufacturers, aquaculture feed suppliers, aquatic veterinarians, aquaculture certification bodies, aquaculture research institutions, and local fishermen communities. These partners provide essential resources and expertise, from the cage systems themselves to health services for the fish and certification of the systems. This collaborative approach ensures the successful implementation and sustainability of the project.
Water Source Availability: Since cage systems require a continuous supply of quality water, the availability of water sources needs to be assessed.
An understanding of the local and regional market demand for fish is important. This would involve assessing the potential market size, consumer preferences, and price trends.
The project would need to consider the logistics of transporting the produce to the market. This might involve assessing the availability and condition of roads, availability of transportation services, and storage facilities.

Please note that these are general steps and prerequisites. The specific requirements might vary depending on the local context and the specific objectives of the project.

150 USD

Fish cage of 8 cubic meter

IP

Open source / open access

Cage Systems for Fish farming

Ethiopia, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Togo, Tanzania, Sudan,
South Sudan, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Rwanda,
Mozambique, Mali, Malawi, Madagascar, Liberia, Kenya,
Guinea, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Djibouti, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon,
Burkina Faso, Botswana, Benin.

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Angola	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Benin	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Botswana	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Cameroon	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Central African Republic	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Djibouti	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Equatorial Guinea	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Eritrea	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Guinea	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Liberia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Madagascar	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Mali	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Mozambique	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Rwanda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Senegal	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Sierra Leone	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Somalia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
South Sudan	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Sudan	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Togo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 1: no poverty

Goal 2: zero hunger

Cage Systems for Fish Culturing work by confining fish within a mesh enclosure that is either fixed or floating in a body of water. Here's a step-by-step description of how it works:

Cage Construction: The cage, which can be made of various materials such as synthetic netting or metal, is constructed and anchored in a suitable water body. The cage is designed to be sturdy and resistant to the conditions of the water body.
Stocking the Cage: Juvenile fish, also known as fingerlings, are introduced into the cage. The species of fish chosen depends on several factors including their growth rate, reproductive behavior, nutritional requirements, market value, and ability to survive in the confined environment.
Feeding and Growth: The fish are fed according to a specific feeding regime, which can include natural foods and detritus, benthos, and artificial feeds. The mesh of the cage allows water to flow freely, maintaining good water quality and removing wastes.
Monitoring and Maintenance: Regular monitoring of the fish and the cage system is carried out to ensure the health of the fish and the integrity of the cage. This includes checking for signs of disease, assessing the condition of the cage, and monitoring the water quality.
Harvesting: Once the fish reach a marketable size, they are harvested from the cage. The mesh design of the cage makes it easier to harvest the fish.

This method of fish farming allows for efficient use of water resources, better control over the cultured organisms, and reduced environmental impact.

Last updated on 5 November 2024