Sea Bass / Sea Bream Fish Farm Tour

Young fish are grown either in the sea in cages or, on land, in raceways. Sea cages are the most frequently employed rearing system for intensive fish farming in the Mediterranean. These cages may be either rectangular or circular. Their size depends on several factors: the site, the water depth, the exposure to waves and of course the age and size of the fish. The collar from which the net hangs may be made from steel or plastic, and it is kept buoyant with the use of floaters. A working corridor surrounds the collar, thereby permitting the farmers to stand on the cage and view the fish.

Young fish are transferred to the cages when they are well accustomed to pellet feeds. They are transferred from the hatchery in oxygenated tanks under slight anaesthesia in order to lower their metabolic rate, and hence reduce their oxygen and food demands during this process. Fish are vaccinated against diseases. The fish are first introduced into small sized cages, to enable the farmer to retain good control over the stock. At this early stage, it is the cages in the most secluded positions on the farm, which are chosen for the new fry to protect them from excessive wave action.