BAU develops innovative method for farming coral fish in cages

MYMENSINGH, Apr 24 (BSS): Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) researchers have made a major breakthrough in coral fish farming by developing methods to successfully raise the high-value species in floating seabed cages using artificial feed.
Farming of coral fish, valued for their taste and nutrition, has been facing challenges in Bangladesh due to limited access to quality fry and appropriate artificial feed. These constraints have restricted commercial production despite rising demand.
However, the BAU research team has now addressed these challenges. By producing appropriate fry and formulating effective artificial feed, they have opened the door to wider cultivation of coral fish in the country.
They have not only developed an innovative method for farming coral fish in cages but also found that the fish raised using this technique are of higher quality than those produced through conventional farming methods, according to their study.
The results of the study were announced today by the lead researcher, Dr Md Shahjahan, Professor of Fisheries Management Department at BAU.
This research was conducted under the Sustainable Coastal Marine Fisheries Project (SCMFP) funded by the World Bank and supervised by the Department of Fisheries, said Prof Shahjahan.
Jabed Hasan, a postgraduate student of the university, worked as an assistant in the research.
Prof Shahjahan explained that the primary objective of the research was to assess the feasibility of cultivating coral fish in floating cages using supplementary feed, marking the first such initiative in the country.
The fieldwork was conducted across three coastal regions: Munshiganj in Satkhira, Maheshkhali in Cox's Bazar, and Char Kukri-Mukri in Bhola. In each location, the local fishing communities actively participated in every stage of the process, beginning with the construction of the cages.
Discussing the cultivation method and feed management for coral fish in cages, the researchers explained that the cages are circular in shape, measuring 6.7 meters in diameter with a capacity of 60 cubic meters. Each cage can accommodate up to 15 fry per cubic meter.
The fish are raised using a two-stage cultivation process with artificial supplementary feed. The initial nursing phase, or pre-stage cultivation, takes place from January to March.