Overview of Fish Farming Using Floating Cages along the Shatt al-Arab River in Basrah Province, Southern Iraq

Abstract

The current study was carried out during the period of September 2018–March 2019 aiming at providing an overview of fish farming projects using floating cages in Basrah province, southern Iraq. The primary strategy for data collection was through a questionnaire. The study showed that the first cage farm was established in Abul-Khaseeb district in 2008, and the number of certified farms is 37 with a total number of 466 cages. Cultivated carp fish were obtained from local hatchers in Basrah and Babylon. Fish farms are similar in the quality of feed used, cages' design, and raw materials involved in their manufacture. The results also showed that fish farmers are educated, and more than 40% of them are university graduates. In Basrah, women have a vital role in the operation, maintenance, and management of fish farms as well. The total production of certified farms in the province amounted to 544 tons per season. The survey results showed that cage farming in Shatt al-Arab is profitable in the absence of the saltwater intrusion phenomenon.

Keywords

• Cage culture
• fish production
• Shatt al-Arab
• carp

Supporting Institution

The University of Basrah

Thanks

The author would like to thank Mr. Tariq Hameed, from the Ministry of Agriculture, and the fish farmers, for providing the necessary data to complete the study. Many thanks go to Dr. Lamees Salim Al-Qurnawy for providing the map of the study area

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