Advantages of Cage Culture

1. Resource use flexibility: Cage culture can be established in a variety of waterbodies, including lakes, ponds, mining pits, streams or rivers with proper water quality, provided the potential operator has access and legal authority. This makes cage culture one of the most flexible form of aquaculture.
2. Comparably low capital cost: Compared to the cost of construction for other large-scale aquaculture methodology cage culture in can be relatively inexpensive.
3. Simplified husbandry (fish care) practices: Cage culture is a relatively ‘hands-on themselves to direct observation of the fish. The observation of fish behavior, especially feeding behavior, is essential for good husbandry.
4. Simplified harvesting: Traditionally, cages have been harvested by temporarily crowding the fish into a restricted area, and dipping the fish out of the cage. Fish pumps and other mechanized methods have recently become popular. One of the advantages of cage culture is that it is possible to partially harvest fish from cages as needed.
5. Multi-use of water resources: The husbandry of fish in cages should not hinder other users of the water resource, including those pursuing fishing, boating, and swimmingTherefore, cage culture system is largely determined by correct selection of favourable sites, suitable cage size and facilities and management of the system.

   Cage culture uses existing surface water resources (ponds, rivers, estuaries, open ocean, etc.), but confines the fish inside some type of mesh enclosure. The mesh retains the fish, making it easier to feed, observe and harvest them. The mesh also allows the water to pass freely between the fish and surrounding water resource, thus maintaining good water quality .