Circular cage, 18 meters in diameter, about to go into operation

Considerable benefits are reported to the country by the completion of 37 new cages for intensive fish farming manufactured this year at the Ciego de Ávila company Ciegoplast, an entity with a growing contribution to food security and nutrition, priorities for the Cuban Government.

Specialized in the development of conduits and other accessories for aqueducts and hydraulic works for more than two decades, the entity also ventured, as of 2007, in the manufacture of circular and rectangular cages (18 meters in diameter and three by four meters, respectively) of high-density polyethylene pipes (TPAD), an experience never used in Cuba and stopped for several years.

This program focused the attention of the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who in November 2019 visited the factory and learned of the intention of the group of workers and specialists to resume that production.

According to the industrial engineer Yuvisley Lima Ríos, a commercial specialist for Proveedora del Minal Company (Propes), of the first 30 that they acquired, 26 are in operation in different water bodies in various provinces.

"Up to now, they have had a very good acceptance, for being an innovative development experience that facilitates the better handling of the dough and can feed the fingerlings in small and sectioned areas", Peña Ríos argued.

He said that Sancti Spíritus, Pinar del Río, Las Tunas and Artemisas, in that order, are the ones who have the most ponds of this type and for next year Propes intends to acquire another 30, due to the efficiency of the technology developed in Ciegoplast.

Industrial Engineer Orlando de la Cruz Rivadeneira, director of production of the company Pescapir, a pioneer in Cuba in the use of this type of ponds, for almost three decades, told Granma that all of the more than 300 tons captured at year in Sancti Spíritus. They come from the intensive cultivation of tilapia, production provided by the 29 cages (13 from when the project began and 16 from this year), structures that withstood the waves and strong winds of various meteorological events.

In the case of the TPAD cage, the specialist explained, what is new is the expansion of fattening capacities with less investment when compared to other types of technology, since Ciegoplast forces assemble it in places close to the reservoirs, easily that allows rapid entry into production once the fingerlings are "stocked".

Among other advantages are the use of an economical, durable and adaptable technology at different depths, the rapid disassembly and mobility of the structure, high stocking density of fingerlings and easy monitoring of the growth process.