The galvanised iron cage culture project experimentally initiated by the Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) in Assam has been a success. The project was carried out on the Labeo bata fish species, showing a low mortality rate despite a higher rate of weight increase of the fish. The project has been set up in Samaguri Beel (floodplains wetland) in Nagaon district from September last year. Galvanized cage culture or aqua culture is an artificial system of fish harvesting. A cage made of galvanized iron with a protective zinc coating to prevent rust is used to confine the fish in an enclosure. Earlier, farmers and entrepreneurs of the state used bamboo cages. However, their use is diminishing because of a lesser life span of two years. The galvanised iron cages have a life span of around 10 years and are more viable for the fish industry, an institute official said. “After four months of harvesting, we detected less than five per cent mortality rate of fish, despite a 100 per cent weight increase of fingerlings. It is a huge success,” institute scientist Simankshu Bora said. Samaguri Beel occupies an area of approximate 1 lakh hectares with immense potential for sustainable increase of fish production. The institute has set up 16 cages at a cost of around Rs 11.7 lakh, an official said. Principal scientist and acting head of the institute’s Northeast regional centre, B.K. Bhattacharjya, said, “The galvanised iron cage is expensive but more durable. It is economically more viable. If the government encourages local farmers by providing financial assistance, Assam could produce huge numbers of fish in a year.” The official said for the cage culture to be successful, there should be open waterbodies with a depth of more than two metres. The institute carried out the project in collaboration with the Assam Fishery Development Corporation. Bhattacharjya said after the success of the project in Samaguri Beel, they were planning to set up such cages in various other beels of the state.