Open sea cage launched for fish culture

New Delhi, July 12: The Agriculture Ministry has launched the first ever-open sea cage in the near-shore sea of Vishakhapatnam for culturing of Asian Sea Bass.

The cage has been designed, fabricated and installed indigenously.

The cage net is stocked with about 6,000 fingerlings of the highly priced sea bass, which are fed twice daily.

A production of two tonnes of fish is anticipated within 4-5 months of grow out period from the cage.

The open sea cage is not only a productive venture to ensure high yields but also an eco-friendly and sustainable mariculture technology which has attracted aqua culturists as well the attention of local public.

Further, it is expected that this new activity will attract entrepreneurship development and market and open up a new era in the development of marine fisheries and mariculture in India.

Similar cages are being launched at other three centres, Ratnagiri, Diu and Mandapam.

These open sea cages are being set up by the Agriculture Ministry under a pilot project implemented through the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Cochin.

UNI