FI: DP/NEP/73/025
Field Document 8
January 1980

NEPAL
CAGE CULTURE OF FISH IN NEPAL

A report prepared for the
Integrated Fisheries and Fish Culture Development Project

T. Gottfried Pillai	and	John D. Sollows
Project Manager		Associate Expert
(Aquaculturist)		(Aquaculture)

This is one of a series of reports prepared during the course of the FAO/UNDP project identified on the title page. The conclusions and recommendations given in the report are those considered appropriate at the time of its preparation. They may be modified in the light of further knowledge gained at subsequent stages of the project.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations or the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers.

Pillai T.G. and J.D. Sollows, Cage Culture of Fish in Nepal. A report prepared for the Integrated Fisheries and Fish Culture Development Project, Nepal, Rome, FAO, 1980. FI:DP/NEP/73/025, Field Document 8, 28 p.

ABSTRACT

Work carried out on the culture of fish in cages in Nepal, the introduction of the practice to private fishermen by the project and its technical and economic aspects are described in this report.

A variety of cages were tried, their relative advantages and disadvantages and costs are provided. The species tried were mainly silver carp and grass carp and they have proved to be economical because of the relatively low or negligible feed costs involved. Rohu and common carp yield additional incidental production when stocked in small numbers with the above species. Preliminary experiments on the culture of bighead carp in cages have also been very encouraging.

An explanation for different growth rates observed of planktivorous species in the three lakes of the Pokhara Valley is provided on the basis of limnological data and qualitative and quantitative studies of plankton, as well as stomach content studies.

The economics of cage culture with these species is discussed. The results are compared with those obtained with other species in other countries. Suggestions are provided for future work, including variations of stocking densities. The possible initial increase in fish production in the Pokhara Valley through cagefish culture is indicated. Recommendations for the future are also provided.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Food and Agriculture Organization is greatly indebted to the Government of Nepal and to the many local fishermen and government personnel who collaborated with the experts and provided information, advice and facilities, and especially to:

Mr B.R. Pradhan, Project Co-Manager

Mr M. Wada, Japanese Overseas Co-operation Volunteer

Mr P.L. Joshi, Assistant Fishery Development Officer

Mr B.C. Shrestha, Assistant Fishery Development Officer

Mr P.R. Badagami, Junior Technician

Mr G.B. Thapa, Junior Technician

Mr G.B. Karki, Junior Technician

Mr Netra Bahadur Poudyal, Fieldman

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome, 1980

Hyperlinks to non-FAO Internet sites do not imply any official endorsement of or responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at these locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. The sole purpose of links to non-FAO sites is to indicate further information available on related topics.

This electronic document has been scanned using optical character recognition (OCR) software. FAO declines all responsibility for any discrepancies that may exist between the present document and its original printed version.

1. INTRODUCTION

2. RESULTS

2.1 Types of Cages Tried

2.2 Costs of Various Cages

2.3 Cage Culture Results

2.4 Limnology and Biology of the Lakes

3. PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIES OF CAGE FISH CULTURE