Sea Cage Culture

Sea cage aquaculture pens fish in floating enclosures in the ocean. Norwegian and Chilean fjords produce most of the worlds farmed salmon this way. Japanese and Australian producers raise yellowtail and kingfish. Advantages: uses existing seawater; low pumping cost. Disadvantages: escapes, disease transmission to wild fish, seabed impact from waste, and sea lice outbreaks.

Atlantic salmon, coho salmon, yellowtail, sea bream, sea bass, cobia.

Nutrient loading below cages. Sea lice concentration threatens wild salmon. Antibiotics and copper anti-fouling can accumulate. Escapes interbreed with wild populations.