Researchers and students come up with stackable fish farm

Land-based plan allows farmers to save space, control water quality

Published on Dec 25, 2011

Singapore Polytechnic and farmer Lee Van Voon have teamed up to create a stackable fish farm in Choa Chu Kang that is among the first such in the world. The experimental farm, which produces up to eight tonnes of fish a year, uses 1 sq m, connected cubes that can be stacked up to four levels. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM

By Feng Zengkun

Call them building blocks for fish.

Researchers and students have come up with a stackable fish farm that is among the first such in the world. The method uses 1 sq m, connected cubes filled with water to rear fish on land, which saves space and allows farmers to control the water quality.

The cubes can be stacked up to four levels; the experimental farm in Choa Chu Kang, about the size of a football field, now produces up to eight tonnes of fish a year, but this can be ramped up to 36 tonnes.

Fish farmer Lee Van Voon, 45, who is partnering Singapore Polytechnic in the project, said his sea farm off Pulau Ubin is half the size but produces only one tonne of fish each year. Fish farmers said farms range in productivity but this is 'on the low side'.