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Aquaculture Studies 2018, Vol 18, Num, 1     (Pages: 57-65)
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Comparision of Copper Alloy Mesh with Conventional Nylon Nets in Offshore Cage Farming of Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)

Murat Yigit 1 ,Barbaros Celikkol 2 ,Baris Ozalp 3 ,Musa Bulut 1 ,Robert L. Dwyer 4 ,Sevdan Yilmaz 5 ,Masashi Maita 6 ,Yesim Buyukates 3

1 Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Department of Marine Technology Engineering, Canakkale, Turkey
2 University of New Hampshire, Departments of Mechanical and Ocean Engineering, New Hampshire, Durham, USA
3 Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Department of Aquaculture, Canakkale, Turkey
4 Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Department of Marine Science, Canakkale, Turkey
5 International Copper Association, Woods Hole, MA, USA
6 Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Department of Marine Science, Tokyo, Japan DOI : 10.4194/2618-6381-v18_1_07 Viewed : 11652 - Downloaded : 4775 In the present study, a new net technology of copper alloy mesh (CAM) was tested and compared with traditional nylon nets either with (TNN+AF) -or without antifouling coats (TNN–AF) in a long-term growth experiment on gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Fish performed better growth and feed utilization in the CAM pen over the TNN+AF and TNN–AF, with a survival rate over 85% in all cage environments after the 7 months growth period. Relative wet weight gain of seabream in the CAM and TNN+AF pens were 25% and 15% higher compared to the TNN–AF cage,
respectively. Surface of the TNN–AF mesh remained clean for two months after sea water deployment, while the mesh size in the TNN+AF pen remained effective for four months, and shrinking in mesh size thereafter. Dissolved oxygen was highest inside the CAM followed by the TNN+AF and TNN–AF cages, respectively. The results of the present study demonstrate that CAM might be beneficial for cage farming in offshore conditions, however further studies are encouraged to evaluate leaching of metals into the marine environment as well as toxic influences on fish tissues and health risks to human consumers. Keywords : Copper cage, Traditional polymer mesh, Cage aquaculture, Antifouling, Growth performance