Preliminary experiments on the rearing of the oil sardine Sardinella longiceps and Indian mackerel Rastrelliger kanagurta in floating cages

Abstract

Experimentol cage culture of the oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps and the Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta was conducted in the Vizhinjam Bay with regular artificial feeds. The oil sardines at high density showed a growth equal to what it would have been in the natural environment in low density. But the mackerel, during the period of 127 days of captivity, had attained a growth increment equal to what it would have attained over a period of 75 days in nature indicating poor growth rate.