West Bengal government to soon introduce new fishing method 'cage culture'

KOLKATA: Taking a cue from the pisciculture practices in Norway, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines, West Bengal government is all set to introduce a new method of deep-sea pisciculture commonly known as cage culture. As the name suggests, the practice consists of culturing fish inside big floating cages in the middle of the sea.

The project is at present in the pilot stage. Two 4.5 metre-diameter cages made out of GI pipes and netlon mesh have been set up 2 km off the coast of Mandarmani at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. The cages are covered with nets to prevent seabirds from feeding on the fish. They are tied down with buoys to provide stability. Each cage is going to last eight to ten years.

Hatchlings for the pilot project will be released in September, which will grow to the right size – 1 to 1.5 kg – within six months. Mostly, bhekti and pomfret will be reared in these cages as these fishes in high demand and are expensive as well. Such deep-sea culture in large numbers will bring down prices of these fishes and make them more affordable.

This will also help to bring down the pressure on the lakes and inland hatcheries.Scientists are also researching the viability of pearl culture in t cages.